''Pinus morrisonicola'' (Taiwan white pine; ), is a species of

conifer Conifers () are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a sin ...

in the family

Pinaceae The Pinaceae (), or pine family, are conifer trees or shrubs, including many of the well-known conifers of commercial importance such as Cedrus, cedars, firs, Tsuga, hemlocks, Pinyon_pine, piñons, larches, pines and spruces. The family is incl ...

. It is a large tree, up to high and in

diameter In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the centre of the circle and whose endpoints lie on the circle. It can also be defined as the longest Chord (geometry), chord of the circle. Both definitions a ...

. The trunk is often crooked. Needles are in bundles of five. Mature cones are large, to long and wide.

Distribution

''Pinus morrisonicola'' is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

. It grows at altitudes of throughout the island. At present, it is scarce at lower elevations and mostly present at higher elevations and less accessible places.

Uses

Compared with the similar-looking black pine (''

Pinus thunbergii ''Pinus thunbergii'' (syn: ''Pinus thunbergiana''), the black pine, Japanese black pine, or Japanese pine, is a pine tree native to coastal areas of Japan (Kyūshū, Shikoku and Honshū) and South Korea. It is called () in Korean, () in Chin ...

''), Taiwan white pine's needles are slenderer and more delicate. When the new leaves sprout, the green color in different shades is stunningly beautiful. Because of these features, the plant plays an important role in garden landscaping and bonsai production. The quality wood can be used as building materials, furniture and paper making. The leaves can also be juiced as a drink or used as medicine and the fruits can be refined into aromatic essential oils.

Gallery

File:臺灣五針松 Pinus morrisonicola 20210415084410 01.jpg File:臺灣五針松 Pinus morrisonicola 20210415084410 02.jpg File:臺灣五針松 Pinus morrisonicola 20210415084410 06.jpg File:臺灣五針松 Pinus morrisonicola 20210415084410 08.jpg

References

morrisonicola Endemic flora of Taiwan Trees of Taiwan Least concern plants Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{conifer-stub