SPECIES: Pinus contorta var. latifolia

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Pinus contorta var. latifolia: INTRODUCTORY

INTRODUCTORY

SPECIES: Pinus contorta var. latifolia

Unmanaged stand on the Arapaho NF. Photo courtesy of U.S.D.A., Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region Archives, Forestry Images. www.forestryimages.org/. 9/5/03.

AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION:
Anderson, Michelle D. 2003. Pinus contorta var. latifolia. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [].

FEIS ABBREVIATION:
PINCONL
PINCON

SYNONYMS:
Pinus contorta Douglas var. latifolia (Engelm.) Critchfield [171,206,305,306]

NRCS PLANT CODE [291]:
PICOL
PICOL2

COMMON NAMES:
Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine
interior lodgepole pine
tall lodgepole pine

TAXONOMY:
The currently accepted scientific name of Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine is Pinus contorta Dougl. var. latifolia Engelm. (Pinaceae) [126,162,163,169,188,205,297,308].

Pinus contorta includes 4 distinctly different varieties that are interfertile. In addition to Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine, these are shore pine (P. contorta var. contorta), Sierra lodgepole pine (P. contorta var. murrayana), and Bolander pine (P. contorta var. bolanderi) [58,309]. These varieties differ in tree longevity, dimensions, form, and branchiness; needle size and structure; cone form, density, orientation, persistence, and serotiny; the timing of reproductive events; seed size and germination behavior; resin composition; and parasites and predators [116,309]. Bolander pine is found only in limited areas of California [116,188]. The above mentioned varieties are referred to in this species summary by their full common names; "lodgepole pine" refers to the species as a whole.

Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine and jack pine (P. banksiana) are morphologically similar and hybridize where their ranges overlap in western Canada [116,199].

LIFE FORM:
Tree

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS:
No special status

OTHER STATUS:
Some plant associations in which Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine occurs as a dominant have been described as vulnerable (vulnerable to extinction because it is very rare or local throughout its range, found only in a restricted range, or because of other factors). Other Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine associations have been described as imperiled (vulnerable to extinction due to rarity or other factors) [82,88,234,244]. Two plant communities in which Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine occurs as a dominant have been classified as critically imperiled (due to extreme rarity or other factors making it especially vulnerable to extinction) in British Columbia. These are the Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine/Kruckeberg's sword fern-aspidotis (Polystichum kruckebergii-Aspidotis densa) association and the Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine/dwarf huckleberry-sphagnum (Vaccinium caespitosum-Sphagnum spp.) association [82].

Complete FEIS review for Pinus contorta var. latifolia

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