Family Pinaceae

By Jerry Warmbold

http://www.mnhs.org/places/other/roadside/images/myjpslf.jpg

Geographical Range • Primarily found in the northern hemisphere,

and high altitudes• Although a few species can be found further

south such as Asia, and Northern Africa

Pinaceae “The Pine Family”

• Kingdom – Plantae• Division – Pinophyta/Coniferophyta

• Class – Pinopsida • Order – Pinales/Coniferales

• Family – Pinaceae

• ~9-12 Genera • ~210 Species

Pinaceae “The Pine Family”

• Trees, a few shrubs• Branches whorled, sometimes opposite, rarely

alternate • Needle like leaves, often in fascicles depending

on genus • Leaves alternate on branch, or are in fascicles on

shoots• Female Cones have woody scales in a spiral

arrangement

Pinaceae “The Pine Family”

• Female cones are woody

• Scales are arranged spirally with the bract and seed scales being separate

Balsam FirAbies balsamifera

http://www.plantsystematics.org/imgs/robbin/r/Pinaceae_Abies_balsamifera_35257.html

• single flat needles with white stripe

Tamarack

Larix laricinahttp://www.plantsystematics.org/imgs/dws/r/Pinaceae_Larix_laricina_4091.htmlhttp://www.plantsystematics.org/imgs/dws/r/Pinaceae_Larix_laricina_12687.html

• 1” needles • Fascicles of 10-25 •Only genus in Pinaceae that isn’t evergreen

Jack Pine

http://www.plantsystematics.org/imgs/avasco/r/Pinaceae_Pinus_banksiana_16593.html

Pinus banksiana

• 1- 2” long needles • Fascicles of 2

Red PinePinus resinosa

• 3 – 6” long needles

• Fascicles of 2

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/p/wpire--tw50514.jpg

White Pine

http://www.plantsystematics.org/imgs/robbin/r/Pinaceae_Pinus_strobus_24522.html

Pinus strobus

• 2 – 4” long needles

• Fascicles of 5

References • Walters, Dirk., Keil, David., Murrell, Zack. 2006. Vascular Plant Taxonomy .

5th ed. U.S.: Kendall/Hunt. 180. Print.

• Campbell, Judd., Kellogg, C., Stevens, E. P.F. 1999. Plant Systematics: A Phylogenetic Approach. Sunderland, MA, Sinauer Associates, Inc.

http://www.geobotany.uaf.edu/teaching/biol474/plant_family_charact.html

• Brundrett, Mark. 2008. Mycorrhizal Associations: The Web Resource. mycorrhizas.info