Name

Pinus cembra L., Sp. Pl. 2: 1000 (1753).
[Swiss stone pine]

Description

Notes

This species is similar to P. koraiensis. Young shoots are densely covered with rusty brown hairs. It has relatively stiff, straight needles in 5s, in dense, brush-like clusters and broad, ovoid cones about 6-8 cm long with scales reflexed at their margins. The cones do not fully open on the tree but fall to the ground with the more or less wingless seeds, which are edible, still enclosed. Seed dispersal is mainly by the European nutcracker which extracts the seeds from the slightly opened cone and stores them in caches for winter food.

Natural Distribution

Swiss Alps and Carpathian Mountains in Europe.