Pinus cembroides subsp. lagunae (Rob.-Pass.) D.K.Bailey

Size and Trunk

Pinus cembroides is a small to medium-sized tree that grows 8 to 20 metres (26 to 66 ft) tall, with a trunk that can reach up to 50 centimetres (20 in) in diameter. Its bark is dark brown, thick, and deeply fissured at the base of the trunk.

Needle Characteristics

Its leaves, called needles, grow in a mix of pairs and groups of three; they are slender, 3 cm (1+1⁄4 in) to 6 cm (2+1⁄4 in) long, dull yellowish green, and have stomata on both their inner and outer surfaces.

Closed Cone Traits

The cones are round, measuring 3 cm (1+1⁄4 in) to 4 cm (1+1⁄2 in) long and wide when closed. They start out green, ripen to yellow-brown after 18–20 months, and have only a small number of thick scales, typically with 5 to 12 fertile scales.

Open Cone Traits

When mature, the cones open to 4 cm (1+1⁄2 in) to 5 cm (2 in) wide, and retain seeds on their scales after opening.

Seed Characteristics

The seeds are 10 mm (3⁄8 in) to 12 mm (1⁄2 in) long, with a thick shell, pink endosperm, and a vestigial 2 mm (1⁄16 in) wing.

Native Range US

The native range of this tree extends from far western Texas in the United States, where it is only found in the Chisos and Davis Mountains, south through much of Mexico.

Native Range Mexico

It is widespread along the Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Madre Occidental ranges, and occurs less commonly in the eastern Eje Volcánico Transversal range.

Disjunct Population

A disjunct population is located in the Sierra de la Laguna of southern Baja California Sur; some authorities classify this population as a separate species, P. lagunae, which is the subspecies Pinus cembroides subsp. lagunae.

Habitat Conditions

It grows at moderate altitudes, mostly from 1,600 to 2,400 m (5,200 to 7,900 ft), in areas with low annual rainfall between 380 to 640 mm (15 to 25 in).

Related Taxon

The related taxon Pinus orizabensis is found farther south in the Mexican state of Veracruz.

Seed Dispersal by Jays

In its ecological interactions, Mexican jays disperse the seeds of this tree by plucking seeds from open cones. The jays use the seeds as a major food source, store many seeds for later use, and some of these stored seeds are left unused and germinate into new trees.

Squirrel Feeding

Abert's squirrels also feed on these seeds, preferring them over the seeds of ponderosa pine.

Human Use of Seeds

In terms of human use, the seeds are widely collected across Mexico, where they are the main edible pine nut in the region. They are palatable when raw, but their flavor is considered improved by roasting.