352 NEW ENGLAND TREKS IX WINTER. 



AUSTRIAN PINE 



Black Pine. 



Pinus Laricio, var. austriaca Endl. 



HABIT A tall tree reaching 60-80 ft. in height; trunk erect contin- 

 uous into the crown, branches in young- trees regularly whorled, foliage 

 in rigid dark green tufts. 



BARK Grayish-brown, roughened with scaly ridges, reddish-brown 

 within. 



TWIGS Stout, yellowish-brown, not downy, roughened by decurrent 

 scales subtending leaf-clusters especially toward base of each year's 

 growth. 



LEAVES In clusters of 2, with relatively short persistent sheaths, 

 dark dullish green, 3-5 inches long, rigid, flattened on one side, rounded 

 on the other, sharp-pointed. MICROSCOPIC SECTION showing 

 2 fibro-vascular bundles, resin-ducts located intermediate between 

 bundles and periphery, strengthening cells beneath the epidermis in 

 patches several layers thick also surrounding the resin-ducts and on 

 one side of the fibro-vascular bundles, stomata all around. 



BUDS Oblong-conical, pointed, sometimes covered with a white resin. 



FRUIT Cones 2%-3 inches long, without stalks, ovate-conical, becom- 

 ing broadly ovate when opened, making about a right angle with the 

 stem. SCALES thickened at apex, generally with a short dull spine. 



COMPARISONS The Austrian Pine resembles most closely the Red 

 Pine among our New England species. The stiff character of its 

 sharp-pointed leaves in distinction to the soft flexible leaves of the 

 Red Pine may be observed by striking the open hand against a tuft 

 of the needles. The winter twigs of the Austrian Pine are yellowish- 

 brown, those of the Red Pine are bright red. The microscopic sections 

 of the leaves of the two species are very distinct. 



DISTRIBUTION A native of Europe but frequently cultivated in 

 this country as an ornamental tree and to some extent used in forest 

 planting. 



WOOD Light, soft, rich in turpentine and very durable. In Europe 

 the wood is used as a building timber and turpentine is obtained from 

 the tree. 



