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Synonyms: Abietaceae Gray, nom. cons.
Common name: Pine Family.
Number of genera 10. Number of species 194.
Gymnosperm.
Disseminule a cone, or a seed.
Cones
Cone dry; when dry compound (Spjut Fig. 23C-E & 2 families: Pinaceae, Welwitschiaceae); ovoid, or globose; symmetrical, or asymmetrical; with scales; scales with separate subtending bracts. Fruiting scales present; dry; persisting; woody.
Seeds
Aril absent. Seed larger than minute; 1 to less than 5 mm long, or 10 to less than 25 mm long; 4–21 mm long (without wing); oblong, or ovate, or obovate; not bowl shaped; without winglike beak; without caudate appendage(s); at maturity with food reserves; with endosperm; without canavanine. Sarcotesta absent. Testa present; with markedly different marginal tissue, or without markedly different marginal tissue (rarely); marginal tissue winglike; without fleshy or leathery layer over hard layer; tight; shiny; surface unsmooth; surface with merged raised features; surface roughened (wings striate); without crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle; without notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approach each other; resin with glands, or without glands; without bristles; glabrous; with wing(s), or without wings (few Pinus spp.); 1-winged (& wing arising from scale tissue); without collar; without operculum; colored; monochrome; not becoming mucilaginous when wetted; surrounding food reserve. Hilum punctate. Endosperm hard, or fleshy; without starch; with oils; without fatty acid containing cyclopropene; without apical lobes; without chlorophyll; without isodiametric faceted surface; without odor.
Embryo differentiated from food reserve; well developed; 1 per seed (only 1 of several mature); partially filling testa (with food reserve); chamber basal to wing; 0.8 times the length of food reserve (estimated); at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; axile and centric; linear, or foliate; with spatulate cotyledons (somewhat in some spp.); parallel to seed length; embedded in perisperm; with cotyledons gradually connected to hypocotyl-radicle, or abruptly connected to hypocotyl-radicle (barely); without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons. Cotyledons 2 to 11 (to 18); well developed; 0.4 times length of embryo; as wide as hypocotyl-radicle; 1–1.25 times wider than hypocotyl-radicle (estimated); not concealing hypocotyl-radicle; not foliaceous; thin; flat; smooth; with apices entire; with margins separate; basally entire; equal in size; not punctate dotted. Hypocotyl-radicle well developed; straight; not thickened.
Distribution
Northern hemisphere chiefly. New World, Old World. North America, Middle America, Europe, Asia Major, southeastern Asia.
Notes
Do seeds possess perisperm as well as endosperm? Page (In: Kramer & Green): "Seed is shed gradually either by the parting of cone scales at maturity in Larix, Cathaya, Pseudotsuga, Keteleeria, Nothotsuga, (sic) Tsuga, Picea, and Pinus, or by dismemberment of the whole cone in Pseudolarix, Cedrus, and Abies. In Cedrus and Abies the central columella of the cone isi usually left attached to the shoot".
Weed information
No USA noxious weeds.
Listed seeds
ASOA listed seeds, ISTA listed seeds.
ASOA listed seeds: -- Abies amabilis Douglas ex J. Forbes -- Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. -- Abies concolor (Gordon & Glend.) Lindl. ex Hildebr. -- Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir. -- Abies grandis (Douglas ex D. Don) Lindl. -- Abies homolepis Siebold & Zucc. -- Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt. -- Abies magnifica A. Murray bis -- Abies magnifica var. shastensis Lemmon = Abies × shastensis (Lemmon) Lemmon -- Abies procera Rehder -- Abies × shastensis (Lemmon) Lemmon -- Abies veitchii Lindl. -- Cedrus atlantica (Endl.) G. Manetti ex Carriere -- Cedrus deodara (Roxb. ex D. Don) G. Don -- Cedrus libani A. Rich. -- Larix decidua Mill. -- Larix × eurolepis A. Henry, nom. illeg. = Larix × marschlinsii Coaz -- Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carriere -- Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch -- Larix × marschlinsii Coaz -- Larix occidentalis Nutt. -- Larix sibirica Ledeb. -- Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. -- Picea breweriana S. Watson -- Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm. -- Picea glauca var. albertiana (S. Br.) Sarg. -- Picea glauca (Moench) Voss -- Picea glehnii (F. Schmidt) Mast. -- Picea jezoensis (Siebold & Zucc.) Carriere -- Picea koyamae Shiras. -- Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton et al. -- Picea omorika (Pancčić) Purk. -- Picea orientalis (L.) Link -- Picea polita (Siebold & Zucc.) Carriere -- Picea pungens Engelm. -- Picea pungens var. glauca Regel = Picea pungens Glauca Group Engelm. -- Picea rubens Sarg. -- Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carriere -- Pinus albicaulis Engelm. -- Pinus aristata Engelm. -- Pinus attenuata Lemmon -- Pinus banksiana Lamb. -- Pinus canariensis C. Sm. -- Pinus caribaea Morelet -- Pinus cembra L. -- Pinus cembroides Zucc. -- Pinus clausa (Chapm. ex Engelm.) Vasey ex Sarg. -- Pinus contorta var. contorta Douglas ex Loudon -- Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm. -- Pinus coulteri D. Don -- Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc. -- Pinus echinata Mill. -- Pinus edulis Engelm. -- Pinus elliottii Engelm. -- Pinus flexilis E. James -- Pinus glabra Walter -- Pinus halepensis Mill. -- Pinus heldreichii var. leucodermis (Antoine) Markgr. ex Fitschen = Pinus leucodermis Antoine -- Pinus jeffreyi Balf. -- Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon -- Pinus lambertiana Douglas -- Pinus leucodermis Antoine -- Pinus luchuensis Mayr -- Pinus merkusii Jungh. & de Vriese -- Pinus monophylla Torr. & Frem. -- Pinus monticola Douglas ex D. Don -- Pinus mugo var. mughus (Scop.) Zenari -- Pinus mugo var. mugo Turra -- Pinus muricata D. Don -- Pinus nigra subsp. laricio Maire -- Pinus nigra subsp. nigra J. F. Arnold -- Pinus palustris Mill. -- Pinus parviflora Siebold & Zucc. -- Pinus patula Schiede ex Schltdl. & Cham. -- Pinus pinaster Aiton -- Pinus pinea L. -- Pinus ponderosa C. Lawson -- Pinus quadrifolia Parl. ex Sudw. -- Pinus radiata D. Don -- Pinus resinosa Aiton -- Pinus rigida Mill. -- Pinus serotina Michx. -- Pinus strobiformis Engelm. -- Pinus strobus L. -- Pinus sylvestris L. -- Pinus taeda L. -- Pinus thunbergii Parl. -- Pinus virginiana Mill. -- Pinus wallichiana A. B. Jacks. -- Pseudotsuga macrocarpa (Vasey) Mayr -- Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco -- Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco -- Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere -- Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg. -- Tsuga mertensiana (Bong.) Carriere -- Last updated September 2008.
ISTA listed seeds: -- Abies alba Mill.t -- Abies amabilis Douglas ex J. Forbest -- Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.t -- Abies cephalonica Loudont -- Abies cilicica (Antoine & Kotschy) Carrieret -- Abies concolor (Gordon & Glend.) Lindl. ex Hildebr.t -- Abies firma Siebold & Zucc.t -- Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir. t -- Abies grandis (Douglas ex D. Don) Lindl.t -- Abies homolepis Siebold & Zucc.t -- Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.t -- Abies magnifica A. Murrayt -- Abies nordmanniana (Steven) Spacht -- Abies numidica de Lannoy ex Carrieret -- Abies pinsapo Boiss.t -- Abies procera Rehdert -- Abies sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) Mast.t -- Abies veitchii Lindl.t -- Cedrus atlantica (Endl.) G. Manetti ex Carrieret -- Cedrus deodara (Roxb. ex D. Don) G. Don t -- Cedrus libani A. Rich.t -- Larix decidua Mill.t -- Larix × eurolepis A. Henryt -- Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr.t -- Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carrieret -- Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Kocht -- Larix leptolepis (Siebold & Zucc.) Gordon = Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carriere -- Larix × marschlinsii Coaz = Larix × eurolepis A. Henry -- Larix occidentalis Nutt.t -- Larix sibirica Ledeb.t -- Larix sukaczewii Dylis = Larix sibirica Ledeb. -- Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.t -- Picea breweriana S. Watson -- Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.t -- Pinus excelsa Wall. ex D. Don, non Lam. = Pinus wallichiana A. B. Jacks.t -- Picea glauca (Moench) Vosst -- Picea glehnii (F. Schmidt) Mast.t -- Picea jezoensis (Siebold & Zucc.) Carrieret -- Pinus khasya Hook. f., orth. var. = Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon t -- Pinus thunbergiana Franco = Pinus thunbergii Parl. -- Picea koyamae Shiras.t -- Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton et al.t -- Picea omorika (Pancic) Purk.t -- Picea orientalis (L.) Linkt -- Picea polita (Siebold & Zucc.) Carrieret -- Picea pungens Engelm.t -- Picea rubens Sarg.t -- Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carrieret -- Picea smithiana (Wall.) Boiss. -- Pinus albicaulis Engelm.t -- Pinus aristata Engelm.t -- Pinus banksiana Lamb.t -- Pinus brutia Ten.t-- Pinus canariensis C. Sm.t-- Pinus caribaea Morelett -- Pinus cembra L.t -- Pinus cembroides Zucc.t -- Pinus clausa (Chapm. ex Engelm.) Vasey ex Sarg.t -- Pinus contorta Douglas ex Loudont -- Pinus coulteri D. Dont -- Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc.t -- Pinus echinata Mill.t -- Pinus edulis Engelm.t -- Pinus elliottii Engelm.t -- Pinus flexilis E. Jamest -- Pinus glabra Waltert -- Pinus halepensis Mill.t -- Pinus halepensis Mill. var. brutia (Ten.) A. Henry = Pinus brutia Ten.-- Pinus heldreichii H. Christt -- Pinus jeffreyi Balf.t -- Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordont -- Pinus koraiensis Siebold & Zucc.t -- Pinus lambertiana Douglast -- Pinus luchuensis Mayrt -- Pinus merkusii Jungh. & de Vrieset -- Pinus monticola Douglas ex D. Dont -- Pinus mugo Turrat -- Pinus muricata D. Dont -- Pinus nigra J. F. Arnoldt -- Pinus oocarpa Schiede ex Schltdl.t -- Pinus palustris Mill.t -- Pinus parviflora Siebold & Zucc.t -- Pinus patula Schiede ex Schltdl. & Cham. t -- Pinus peuce Griseb.t -- Pinus pinaster Aitont -- Pinus pinea L.t -- Pinus ponderosa C. Lawsont -- Pinus pseudostrobus Lindl. -- Pinus pumila (Pall.) Regelt -- Pinus radiata D. Dont -- Pinus resinosa Aitont -- Pinus rigida Mill.t -- Pinus roxburghii Sarg.w -- Pinus strobus L.t -- Pinus sylvestris L.t -- Pinus tabuliformis Carrieret -- Pinus taeda L.t -- Pinus taiwanensis Hayatat -- Pinus thunbergii Parl.t -- Pinus virginiana Mill.t -- Pinus wallichiana A. B. Jacks.t -- Pseudotsuga douglasii (Sabine ex D. Don) Carriere = Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco -- Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Francot -- Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrieret -- Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.t -- agricultural and vegetable seeds (Table 2A Part 1); ttree and shrub species (Table 2A Part 2); fflower, spice, herb, and medicinal seeds (Table 2A Part 3); wweed seeds. -- Last updated September 2008.
Accepted genera
Abies Mill. -- Cathaya Chun & Kuang -- Cedrus Trew, nom. cons. -- Keteleeria Carrière -- Larix Mill. -- Nothotsuga Hu ex C. N. Page -- Picea A. Dietr. -- Pinus L. -- Pseudolarix Gordon, nom. cons. -- Pseudotsuga Carrière -- Tsuga Carrière
References specific to this family
Cronquist page 0 (not present).
General references
Engler, A. and K. Prantl. 1924 and onward. Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilimien. W. Engelman, Leipzig, Gaertner, J. 1788–1805. De fructibus et seminibus plantarum. The Author, Stuttgart, Gunn, C.R., J.H. Wiersema, C.A. Ritchie, and J.H. Kirkbride, Jr. 1992 and amendments. Families and genera of Spermatophytes recognized by the Agricultural Research Service. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1796:1–500, Page, C.N. 1990. Coniferophytina (Conifers and Ginkgoids). In: Kubitzki, K., ed., The families and genera of vascular plants, pp. 282–361. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The plant-book, 706 p. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Martin, A.C. 1946. The comparative internal morphology of seeds. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 36:513–660, Schopmeyer, C.S. 1974. Seeds of Woody plants in the United States. Agric. Handb. 450:1–883, Spjut, R.W. 1994. A systematic treatment of fruit types. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 70:1–182.
Illustrations
Excellent compound cone & seed illustrations. Disseminule illustration(s): "cone", or seed, or embryo. Illustrated "cone": compound cone. "Cone" illustration(s): Page (in Kramer & Green), Schopmeyer, Engler & Prantl. Seed illustration(s): Page in Kramer & Green, Schopmeyer, Engler & Prantl. Embryo illustration(s): Schopmeyer, Martin.
• Seed. 1 of 16. Abies koreana E. H. Wilson: seed. • Seed. 2 of 16. Abies koreana E. H. Wilson: seeds with wings removed. • Seed. 3 of 16. Picea koyamae Shiras.: seeds. • Seed. 4 of 16. Picea koyamae Shiras.: seeds with wings removed. • Seed. 5 of 16. Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc.: seeds. • Seed. 6 of 16. Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc.: seeds with wings removed. • Cone. 7 of 16. Tsuga chinensis (Franch.) E. Pritz.: cone. • Seed. 8 of 16. Tsuga chinensis (Franch.) E. Pritz.: seeds. • Seed. 9 of 16. Tsuga chinensis (Franch.) E. Pritz.: seeds with wings removed. • Embryo. 10 of 16. Abies magnifica A. Murray var. magnifica: embryo. • Embryo. 11 of 16. Cedrus libani A. Rich. subsp. brevifolia (Hook. f.) Meikle: embryo. • Embryo. 12 of 16. Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch: embryo. • Embryo. 13 of 16. Picea breweriana S. Watson: embryo. • Embryo. 14 of 16. Pinus ponderosa C. Lawson: embryo. • Embryo. 15 of 16. Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco: embryo. • Embryo. 16 of 16. Tsuga mertensiana (Bong.) Carrière: embryo.
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘J.H. Kirkbride, Jr., C.R. Gunn, and M.J. Dallwitz. 2000 onwards. Family guide for fruits and seeds: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. Version: 12th April 2021. delta-intkey.com’.
