WHITE PINES ASIA: ARMAXD AND KOREAN PINE 



127 



The vertical range of P. koraiensis on the mountains of Korea is 

 shown in Fig. 2 (Chung and Lee, 1965). P. koraiensis occurs above the 

 deciduous oak belt in the transitional zone from the northern temperate 

 to subarctic forest zone (Uyeki, 1932). In the northern temperate forest 

 zone it starts to appear mixed with Querents mongolica Turcz . and Abies 

 holophylla Maxim, forming a P. koraiensis -A. holophylla-Q. mongolica 

 forest type. The components other than these 3 major species are linden 

 (Tilia amurensis Rupr.), birch {Betula costata Trautv.), walnut {Juglans 

 mandshurioa Maxim.), ash (Fraxinus rhynchophylla (Hance) Hemsl.), elm 

 {Ulmus mandshurioa Kakai.), and kalopanax (Kalopanax pictus (Thumb.) 

 Kakai.). Further north in latitude and higher in elevation, A. holophylla 

 and Q. mongolica are gradually replaced by Abies nephrolepis Maxim. 

 Finally the range is taken over by the Pioea jezoensis (Sieb. & Zucc.) 

 Carr.-^.. nephrolepis type which is the typical subarctic forest. 



m 

 2400 

 2200 

 2000 

 1800 

 1600 



1 1400 



|l200 



1 1 000 



800 



600 

 400 



200 



Upper limit 



Lower limit 



35-36* 36*- 37" 37-38* 38-39* 39-4CT 40 , ~4l e 41-42° 42-43 



Latitude (N) 



Figure 2. Vertical distribution of Pinus koraiensis in Korea, 



Occasionally P. koraiensis forms small pure stands on west- to 

 south-facing slopes where the soil is relatively shallow and dry, but 

 commonly it forms a mixed forest type with Abies or Que reus (Fig. 3). 



So far there is no evidence to show the presence of races of P. 

 koraiensis; however, variants are on record. Dr. Uyeki (1925) reported 

 a variant which he named Pinus heterosuberosa. It had a peculiar bark 

 with transverse suberous bars 6 to 10 cm in length scattered on the whole 

 surface at intervals of 6 to 10 cm. Dr. Uyeki found one plant of this 

 variant on Mt. Kumkang of Korea. A dwarf variant was found in a planta- 

 tion located in Kangwondo province. This tree was only 10 m tall and 

 22 cm thick at an age of 100 years. No natural hybrids are known to 

 exist, but P. koraiensis has been successfully crossed with P. lambertiana 

 Dougl. (Duf field and Righter, 1953). 



