[Woodcarver] Arolla Pine

[Lloyd Skeoch]

 From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arolla_pine

The *Swiss Pine* or *Arolla Pine* (/*Pinus cembra*/; family Pinaceae 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinaceae>) is a species of pine 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine> tree 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree> that occurs in the Alps 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alps> and Carpathian Mountains 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpathian_Mountains> of central Europe 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe>, in Switzerland 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland>, France 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France>, Italy 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy>, Austria 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria>, Slovenia 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovenia>, Slovakia 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovakia>, Ukraine 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine> and Romania 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romania>. It typically grows at (1,200-) 
1,500-2,200 (-2,300) m altitude. It often reaches the alpine tree-line 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree-line> in this area. The mature size 
is up to 25-35 m height, and 1.5 m trunk diameter.

It is a member of the white pine 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_classification> group, /Pinus/ 
subgenus /Strobus/, and like all members of that group, the leaves 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf> ('needles') are in fascicles 
(bundles) of five, with a deciduous sheath. They are 5-9 cm long. Swiss 
Pine cones <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conifer_cones> are 4-8 cm long. 
The 8-12 mm long seeds <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed> have only a 
vestigial wing and are dispersed by Spotted Nutcrackers 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_Nutcracker>.



-- 
Lloyd Skeoch
Markham, Ontario
mailto:lskeoch at magma.ca
http://www.angelfire.com/ny/lskeoch/index.html