There is a great variety of tree species that are sought after by man for various purposes, highlighting among them the Pine, a unique plant species due to its cone shape, great height and abundant thickness; known for its high quality wood used for the manufacture of many products and with medicinal properties against respiratory difficulties. In the following article we will learn about the different types of pines found worldwide and their main characteristics.
Pine
Plants are characterized by populating the entire planet earth together with various species of fauna that adapt to climatic and geographical conditions, among other conditions that are offered in the continent they originate from, due to this there is a great variety of environments natural ones that can be considered as unique and special beauty. Among them, trees stand out as plant species of great importance for society, both to carry out the process of photosynthesis and to be part of urban decorations.
Some of the most important species are the pines, beautiful trees with a pyramidal shape and needle-point leaves. The word pine comes from the Latin pine, consists of a type of tree that belongs to the family of conifers, species that come to have a cone shape although there are some that have a rounded, wide and depressed shape. It has a set of whorled branches with little regulation. The seed has a structure similar to a pineapple, being unique for this type of tree.
There are a large number of species distributed throughout the world with multiple characteristics, those of the northern hemisphere are considered as native pines such as the Jack pine, they can also be seen in South America as the Caribbean pine. Highlighting the fact that they are trees with great significance in society as part of home decoration, mainly at Christmas time, so they have a traditional meaning being decorated with ornaments, stars, balls, bows and flashing lights.
In addition, it is very important in various areas of society, highlighting the economic one, where pine wood consists of a relevant raw material in various aspects, mainly because it has sufficient durability and resistance, for which it has been used for the construction of basic utensils such as tables, chairs, showcases, among others. Currently, all products made based on it are considered top quality.
It also has medicinal properties, becoming effective for respiratory problems or chest diseases, since it is capable of reducing bronchial spasms. It has antibacterial principles due to the high content of tannins, which is why it is considered an effective medicine to reduce the content of mucous in the bronchi or the presence of microorganisms; It even presents expectorant, antiseptic and antipyretic principles, treating strong infections in the human body.
Types of Pines
Pines are vascular plants that belong to the Pinaceae family, within which the classification of conifers is located, considered as a very attractive species and valued from the forestry point of view, since it represents a fundamental raw material in constructions and elaboration of products for the home, also represent an important point for the conservation of soils, since they exercise a function as protectors of the other natural elements that deteriorate their natural condition.
Therefore, this species is widely seen in gardens, which in addition to representing a fundamental medicinal and environmental species, is also very showy and sought after as an ornamental option. This has motivated its spread worldwide and its recognition in many regions, so they are classified according to their seeds and number of leaves, they are divided into three main genera described below:
Subgenus Strobus
It consists of a species of trees known as white pines originating in North America, they have seminiferous scales with some terminal shields, the main regions in which they are seen are on the Newfoundland island of Minnesota and on the Appalachian Mountains up to the Georgia section. The main species within this classification are Pinus Ayacahuite, Pinus Armandii, among others.
Subgenus Ducampopinus
These are pines with scales and dorsal shields, in addition to having wings on their seeds that are separable from each other, with fibrous forms on their leaves. They are also known as Piñon, Balfourianae and Lacebark Pines; they consist of a genus that is widely seen in Mexico, Central Asia and the Southwest of the United States, some of the main species to highlight are the following, Pinus Arista, Pinus Gerardiana, Pinus Nelsonii, among others.
Subgenus Pinus
Also known as the Yellow Pines, it has seminiferous scales with the shape of dorsal shields but without a sealing band, in addition it has its wings in articulated seeds, with two fibrovascular bundles in the leaves. This type of species is widely seen in Europe, Asia and even America. For example, the Pinus Pinea, Pinus Kesiya, Pinus Mugo, Pinus Nigra stand out, among others.
Pine Characteristics
Pines are a type of tree that includes a set of vascular plants, where conifers stand out, characterized among the group of evergreen trees that have large dimensions. They have great relevance for society due to their wood, it corresponds to a type of essential raw material for the elaboration of utensils of daily life, next we will know the main characteristics of the pine:
- They have thick bark, needle-shaped leaves and seeds similar to pineapples.
- They have medicinal properties extracted from their bark, leaves and fruits.
- It is not affected by the seasons of the year, so it always maintains its green color.
- Known for its large dimensions.
- They have both reproductive organs (male and female) so they reproduce by themselves.
- Their reproductive organs are located in the cones of their structure, which is why their name is conifers.
- Its leaves have properties of macroblasts and branchiblasts.
Species in America
In America, a large number of species have been observed that are part of the pine family, being considered the continent with the largest number of specimens found on the planet; the countries with the greatest biodiversity are Mexico and Chile.
Popular Species in Mexico
Mexico is the country of the American continent with the greatest diversity of pines in the world. They are one of the species with numerous studies, highlighting the science faculty at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), where they identified approximately 231 located only in Mexico, covering 40% of the entire country. The most relevant ones are highlighted below:
Ayacahuite Pine or Viking Pine
It is considered a native tree of Mexico and Central America, widely seen in highlands approximately 1500 and 3600 meters located from the center of the country to the south reaching Honduras, it grows in drained soils, in cold environments and with high humidity. It reaches 40 meters in height, it has a grayish bark with a smooth texture as it is very young, as it matures it becomes rough and reddish in color.
Some of its common names are Pinabete, Cahuite, Ocote, and Acalohuite. Considered one of the most popular pines in the Mexican nation for its soft and malleable wood, being used for the elaboration of basic utensils such as furniture and constructions. Used for the reforestation of urban and suburban areas, it represents a type of good quality wood.
Pinus Cembroides or Stone Pine
Considered an endemic species of Mexico and with the greatest distribution throughout the region, within its species it has a very short stature (approximately between 5 and 10 meters in height) although in some cases it can reach 15 meters in height. In addition to having between 5 to 6 centimeters of leaves, it grows on the slopes of the hills and dry and rocky slopes, located at the foot of the mountains. It has dark green foliage and is quite sparse.
It is considered the most widely distributed species in Mexico and is used in reforestation of arid and semi-arid areas located on the plateau in the central section of Mexico, highlighting populations such as Zacatecas, Durango, Coahuila, Nueva León, among others with high temperatures and environments. dry.
Pinus Montezumae or Pino Chamaite
It is a tree of the Pinaceae family that can reach 20 meters and even up to 35 meters in height, very popular in the Mexican regions mainly in Jalisco, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Puebla, Veracruz, Zacatecas, among others; and even its extension is seen as far as Guatemala. It lives in temperate and mountainous forests, its bark has reddish brown tones, it also has an inflammable resin sought for its extraction and its white wood is used for making utensils. Among the most popular names are Ocote Blanco, Pino Real or Pino Montezuma.
Popular species in Chile
In the southern region of the American continent, Chile stands out for its extensions of pine plantations, used mainly for the elaboration of utensils for the construction of the country, some of the most sought-after species are highlighted below.
Araucanian Pine
Considered as an endemic species of the Chilean country, specifically of the Pehuén district, it belongs to the Araucariaceae family and to the coniferous genus Araucaria; its scientific name is Pinus araucaria arucana or Pino Pehuén. It is native to southern Chile and Argentina, specifically the section of the Andes mountain range and the Chilean coastal mountain range. Known for being one of the longest-lived species on the planet since there are specimens of more than 100 years of life.
It represents a type of tree highly sought after for its excellent wood and for providing great quality for construction and carpentry work. In addition to having historical and ethnobotanical relevance, since its seeds represent an important source of carbohydrates and energy since ancient times.
Radiata Pine
It is an arboreal species that is native to the United States but was introduced in Chile in 1888 by Arturo Junge Sahr, adapting easily to the habitat and growing rapidly in the region, this species can reach forty-five meters in height and its bark It has dark gray plates. Arriving to acquire interest for the quality of its wood and its environmental properties that allow to reduce erosion and heal erosion; other names are Monterey Pine and California Pine.
pinus pinea
Known as Pino Piñonero, Pino Doncel or Pino Albar; this type of name comes from its large seeds and popular for being consumed by mankind. It reaches a height of thirty meters, thick bark, reddish color and very prominent fissures in the form of plates. Known for resisting long periods of drought and resistant to high temperatures, as well as being resistant to soils with little moisture.
This species has been present in the Chilean country for approximately one hundred years, specifically in the Coquimbo and Los Lagos region. Considering a traditional tree that offers fruits since time immemorial, nowadays its fruits are used in confectionery, made cakes, candies, ice cream, among others, coming to represent a relevant factor in the economy of the country's regions.
Pine Species in Europe
Europe is characterized by having very prominent pine species sought after by society, which is why they have come to promote their planting in the form of protected forests for their conservation and use as raw material. Being observed in specific regions of the entire continent, such as Spain.
Popular species in Spain
Spain is characterized by carrying out the planting of many species of pines where there are approximately eight endemic species (unique in that region), where forests rich in pine species have been conserved. Some of the most popular are highlighted below:
pine sylvestris
The Pinus Sylvestris is also known by different names such as: Pino Serrano, Pino del Norte, Pino Bermejo, among others. It is a conifer characterized by reaching forty meters in height, its trunk is completely straight and with ramifications in the lower area, its bark has a reddish coloration in the upper area but as it descends it acquires a reddish-brown color. It is capable of tolerating low temperatures presented in winter times and even snowfall, for which they are seen in high altitude regions such as the Catabrian Mountains, Pyrenees, Sierra Nevada and Central System, it is also sought after for its high quality wood.
Pinus Halepensis or Aleppo Pine
Other of its common names are Aleppo or Pino Carrasco, it consists of a type of tree that is native to the Mediterranean regions of the Spanish country, specifically in Levante, it can reach twelve meters in height and in humid areas reach up to twenty-five meters in length. height, they are able to withstand high temperatures and resist periods of drought. It has a thick and solid trunk, with whitish gray bark and its crown has an irregular shape; its seeds are small and pedunculated, it is a species widely used against soil erosion.
Pinus pinaster
It is a type of pine that has a rounded shape, which is why it is known by other names such as Pino Rodeno, Pino Resinero, Pino Negral or Pino Marítimo. This type of species extends throughout Spain, including Portugal, France, Italy, Morocco, Algeria and Malta. Within the Spanish country, the regions in which it is widely seen are Cuenca del Duero, Catalonia, Albacete and others; They are areas with 30 meters of height, some even reach 2000 meters. Its trunk is completely straight, with a thick red bark and cracked at the base.
It is highly sought after by man for its medicinal properties due to the active ingredient leukocyanidol, which is widely used as antihemorrhagics and vitamin P; It also has a high content of tannins and turpentine is antiseptic and astringent, against the respiratory tract.
The Christmas Pines
Christmas is one of the main traditions followed worldwide, many countries make striking decorations in their homes, streets, avenues and carry out unique events for this time, one of the most common is the decoration of the Christmas tree, which is usually a fir but pines are also used for this purpose, the decorated species vary according to the country and the region in which the festivity is being carried out.
This type of practice consists of decorating the tree with flashing lights, backstage, bows, flowers, among other decorations, commonly the colors are gold, black and white, although over time its decorations have expanded, decoration is a common habit. in those times, where gifts and presents are placed at the foot of it.
One of the best-selling species on the market are North American pines such as Pino Silvestre or Pino Blanco, these are also highly sought after on the European continent. On the other hand, in Mexico the species vary, the most popular being the Viking Pine, Pino Prieto or Pino Piñonero depending on the region in which the celebration is taking place.
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