Pinus palustris Mill.
Longleaf pine
Species recognized by A Farjon, Conifer Database in
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General Description
Roots stabilize trees against wind: longleaf pine
Source and Additional Information
Roots of longleaf pine protect from strong winds by forming both large anchoring taproots and a widespread lateral root system.
"The damage resistance of longleaf pine could be related to firm anchorage provided by the large taproot and widespread lateral root system. Our excavations of longleaf pine root systems (Baruch Forest Science Institute, pers. comm.) indicated that longleaf pine taproots extended two meters vertically in the soil and the lateral root system extended up to six meters horizontally from the taproot." (Gresham et al. 1991:425)
"While no systematic study has yet been done, at least four distinct schemes seem to be used to keep roots and soil in decent contiguity. Combinations of more than a single scheme certainly occur, and a given tree may use different schemes or a varying mix of several as it grows from a sapling. (Mattheck [1991] considers some aspects of the tree's problem; Ennos and Fitter [1992] provide information on anchorage in small plants or very young trees; Ennos [2000] gives a good general view of the situation.)...
"An alternative scheme capitalizes on little more than the ability of soil to withstand compressive force. If the trunk is continued downward beneath the soil as a stiff taproot, and if ramifying lateral roots near the soil's surface fix the location of the tree, then pushing the trunk in one direction will push the taproot in the other (Edelin and Atger 1994). Soil, especially when beneath a layer of superficial roots, ought to resist this sideways push quite well; the scheme, which we might just call 'taprooting' is shown in figure 21.3c. Taprooting depends on good resistance of the taproot to bending as a cantilever--a high level of flexural stiffness--as is sufficient broadside area to push against so as not to slip sideways through soil. (Additional substantial vertical 'striker' roots, according to Perry [1982] and Crook and Ennos [1996], may supplement the mechanical role of taproots.)
"A tree that uses the scheme without a healthy taproot is crippled. In over 25 years only one of over seventy loblolly pines (Pinus taeda) around my house has blown over with less than really severe provocation; that one had a rotted taproot. (Taproots normally break when a tree uproots, so they're easily overlooked.) My casual observations of several excavated pines suggest that taproots may develop noncylindrical cross sections in response to wind from a prevailing direction. But when poking around the bases of large uprooted Douglas firs, I was struck by the small size of the taproot breakage points. Of the schemes here, the relative importance of taprooting is the least certain; the best documentation of its role comes from work on larch, by Crook and Ennos (1996)." (Vogel 2003:431,433)
Learn more about this functional adaptation.
References
- Steven Vogel. 2003. Comparative Biomechanics: Life's Physical World. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 580 p.
- Gresham, C. A.; Williams, T. M.; Lipscomb, D. J. 1991. Hurricane Hugo Wind Damage to Southeastern US Coastal Forest Tree Species. Biotropica. 23(4): 420-426.
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Description
Source and Additional Information
Supplier
Source
Project
Editor
Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven & Hong Deyuan
Source URL
Citation
Flora of China Vol. 4: 19 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Trees to 45 m tall; trunk to 1.2 m d.b.h. in native range; bark orange-brown, with coarse, oblong, scaly plates; crown rounded; branches spreading-descending, upcurved at tips; branchlets orange-brown, aging darker brown, stout, rough; winter buds silvery white, ovoid, 3-4 cm, scales fringed at margin. Needles spreading-recurved, (2 or)3 per bundle, yellow-green, slightly twisted, 20-45 cm × ca. 1.5 mm, stomatal lines present on all surfaces, base with persistent sheath 2-2.5(-3) cm, margin finely serrulate. Seed cones solitary or paired toward branchlets tips, sessile or rarely shortly pedunculate, dark brown, ovoid-cylindric when open, 15-25 cm, maturing in 2 years, then quickly shedding seeds and falling. Apophyses dull, nearly rhombic, slightly thickened and raised, strongly cross keeled; umbo broadly triangular, with a short, stiff, reflexed prickle. Seeds pale brown, mottled darker, truncate-obovoid, ca. 1 cm; wing 3-4 cm.
References
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Flora of China @ eFloras.org
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200005226
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Comments
Source and Additional Information
Supplier
Project
Editor
Flora of North America Editorial Committee
Source URL
Citation
Flora of North America Vol. 2 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Pinus palustris is fire successional, with a deep taproot and a definite grass stage. It is a valued species for lumber and pulpwood and was once important for naval stores (e.g., turpentine, pine oil, tar, pitch). It is fast disappearing over much of its natural range, partly through overharvesting but especially because of difficulties in adapting it to current plantation and management techniques.
Longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris ) is the state tree of North Carolina.
References
-
Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200000001
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Description
Source and Additional Information
Supplier
Project
Editor
Flora of North America Editorial Committee
Source URL
Citation
Flora of North America Vol. 2 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Trees to 47m; trunk to 1.2m diam., straight; crown rounded. Bark orange-brown, with coarse, rectangular, scaly plates. Branches spreading-descending, upcurved at tips; twigs stout (to 2cm thick), orange-brown, aging darker brown, rough. Buds ovoid, silvery white, 3--4cm; scales narrow, margins fringed. Leaves (2)--3 per fascicle, spreading-recurved, persisting 2 years, 20--45cm ´ ca. 1.5mm, slightly twisted, lustrous yellow-green, all surfaces with fine stomatal lines, margins finely serrulate, apex abruptly acute to acuminate; sheath 2--2.5(--3)cm, base persistent. Pollen cones cylindric, 30--80mm, purplish. Seed cones maturing in 2 years, quickly shedding seeds and falling, solitary or paired toward branchlet tips, symmetric, lanceoloid before opening, ovoid-cylindric when open, 15--25cm, dull brown, sessile (rarely short-stalked); apophyses dull, slightly thickened, slightly raised, nearly rhombic, strongly cross-keeled; umbo central, broadly triangular, with short, stiff, reflexed prickle. Seeds truncate-obovoid; body ca. 10mm, pale brown, mottled darker; wing 30--40mm. 2 n =24.
References
-
Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200000001
Description
Source and Additional Information
Pinus palustris P. Mill., longleaf pine, is found in the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains from southeastern Virginia to central Florida and west to eastern Texas, and in the Piedmont region and Valley and Ridge province of Georgia and Alabama. Longleaf pine is a long-lived, native, evergreen conifer with scaly bark. Needles are in bundles of 3; they are shiny, dark green, and 8 to 15 inches long. Cones are 6 to 8 inches long. Mature trees attain a height of 100 to 120 feet and 2½ feet in diameter. Its seeds are the largest of all southern pines. It has extensive lateral roots and a taproot that grows 8 to 12 feet long.
References
- Leithead, H.L., L.L. Yarlett, & T.N. Shiflett. 1976. 100 native forage grasses in 11 southern states. USDA SCS Agriculture Handbook No. 389, Washington, DC.
Alternative names
Source and Additional Information
longstraw pine, southern yellow pine, Georgia pine
References
- Leithead, H.L., L.L. Yarlett, & T.N. Shiflett. 1976. 100 native forage grasses in 11 southern states. USDA SCS Agriculture Handbook No. 389, Washington, DC.
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Last curated:
15 Feb 2010
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Michael Frankis.
Editor.
"Pinus palustris Mill.". Encyclopedia of Life, available from "http://www.eol.org/pages/323452". Accessed
22 Mar 2010.
