Singleleaf Pinyon
(Pinaceae
Pinus monophylla )
Adopted in 1959.
The pinon pine,
Pinaceae Pinus monophylla,
was the first tree adopted
as a symbol by our state.
The Single-Leaf Pinon is an
aromatic pine tree with
short, stiff needles and
gnarled branches. It was
adopted in 1959.
The Single-Leaf Pinon (Pinus
monophylla) is an aromatic
pine tree with short, stiff
needles and gnarled
branches. The tree grows in
coarse, rocky soils and rock
crevices. Though its normal
height is about 15 feet, the
single-leaf pinon can grow
as high as 50 feet under
ideal conditions
Singleleaf pinyon (Pinus
monophylla), also called
pinyon, nut pine, one-leaf
pine, and piñon (Spanish),
is a slow-growing, low,
spreading tree that grows on
dry, low mountain slopes of
the Great Basin. One large
tree near Reno, NV, is about
112 cm (44.2 in) in d.b.h.,
16.2 m (53 ft) tall, and has
a crown spread of about 20 m
(66 ft). Principal uses of
the tree include fuel,
fenceposts, Christmas trees,
and edible seeds.
NRS 235.040 State
trees. The trees
known as the
Singleleaf Pinyon
(Pinus monophylla) and
the
Bristlecone Pine
(Pinus longaeva) are
hereby designated as the
official state trees of
the State of Nevada.
[1:72:1953] - (NRS A
1959, 107; 1987, 785;
1997, 1604)
Description:
- Bark: is in
old trees, thick, scaly,
divided by longitudinal
and horizontal furrows;
in young trees thin and
smooth.
- Branchlets:
light gray, rough,
pubescent; bases of the
leaf bracts are not
decurrent.
- Leaves: in
fascicles of 5, rarely
4, slightly curved,
1.5-4.0 cm long, 0.5-1.5
mm thick; margins
entire, stomata
primarily on the ventral
surfaces with an
occasional row on the
dorsal surface; resin
canals 2, rarely 1 or 3,
dorsal; fibrovascular
bundle single; the
leaves bright green on
the dorsal surface and
silver-colored (lines of
stomata) on the ventral
surfaces; connate
(united) during the
first year. Sheaths of
the leaves 5-9 mm long,
curled into persistent
rosettes, later
deciduous.
- Conelets:
borne singly and in
pairs on slender, short
peduncles; globose with
thick, transversely
keeled scales.
- Cones:
subglobose; symmetrical;
3.5-5.0 cm long, 4.5-7.0
cm wide when open;
yellow to ochre colored;
dehiscent; deciduous
when mature, the
peduncle very small and
falling with the cone.
- Cone scales:
few; the apophysis
rhomboidal, transversely
keeled; the umbo dorsal,
flat to depressed,
bearing a minute early
deciduous prickle. Only
the central scales are
seed-bearing.
- Seeds: brown;
wingless; 14-17 mm long,
6-8 mm wide; the seed
coat very thin, 0.2-0.3
mm thick; the endosperm
white"
- Form: "A
small pine up to 15 m
tall. In mature trees
the crown is irregularly
rounded; in young trees
it is thicker and
narrowly pyramidal.
Taxonomic
Hierarchy
|
Kingdom |
Plantae --
Plants |
Subkingdom |
Tracheobionta --
Vascular plants |
Superdivision |
Spermatophyta –
Seed plants |
Division |
Coniferophyta –
Conifers |
Class |
Pinopsida – |
Order |
Pinales – |
Family |
Pinaceae –
Pine family |
Genus |
Genus
Pinus L. –
pine |
Species |
Pinus
monophylla
Torr. & Frém. –
singleleaf
pinyon |
Nevada State Tree
Bristlecone Pine
(Pinaceae Pinus
aristata)
Adopted in 1987.
NRS 235.040 State
trees. The trees
known as the
Singleleaf Pinyon
(Pinus monophylla) and
the
Bristlecone Pine
(Pinus longaeva) are
hereby designated as the
official state trees of
the State of Nevada.
[1:72:1953] - (NRS A
1959, 107; 1987, 785;
1997, 1604)
Students from Ely, Nevada
had the bristlecone pine
adopted as a symbol for our
state. The bristlecone pine
is the oldest living thing
on Earth, with some
specimens in Nevada more
than 4,000 years of age. The
tree can be found at high
elevations. Normal height
for older trees is about 15
to 30 feet, although some
have attained a height of 60
feet. Diameter growth
continues throughout the
long life of the tree,
resulting in massive trunks
with a few contorted limbs.
The Bristlecone Pine
(Pinus aristata) shares the
state tree designation. The
bristlecone pine is the
oldest living thing on
Earth, with some specimens
in Nevada more than 4,000
years of age. The tree can
be found at high elevations.
Normal height for older
trees is about 15 to 30
feet, although some have
attained a height of 60
feet. Diameter growth
continues throughout the
long life of the tree,
resulting in massive trunks
with a few contorted limbs.
Description:
- Leaf:
Acicular, short (1 to 1
1/2 inches long),
curved, fascicles of 5,
dark green but usually
covered with white dots
of dried resin. Remain
on tree for 10-17 years,
giving a bushy
appearance that
resembles a fox's tail.
- Flower:
Monoecious; male cones
small, dark orange and
often clustered near the
ends of branches; female
cones occur singly or in
pairs near the ends of
branches.
- Fruit:
Moderate sized woody
cone (about 3 inches
long) with a short
stalk; imbricate scales
are thickened and tipped
with a long bristle,
giving rise to its
common name. Seeds are
winged.
- Twig:
Orange-brown when young
but darkening with age.
- Bark: Young
bark is thin, smooth,
and gray-white later
becoming furrowed and
reddish-brown. Old trees
on harsh, windy sites
may have only a few
strands of bark
remaining in crevices
where it is protected
from sandblasting winds.
- Form:
Typically small
Taxonomic
Hierarchy
|
Kingdom |
Plantae --
Plants |
Subkingdom |
Tracheobionta --
Vascular plants |
Superdivision |
Spermatophyta –
Seed plants |
Division |
Coniferophyta –
Conifers |
Class |
Pinopsida – |
Order |
Pinales – |
Family |
Pinaceae –
Pine family |
Genus |
Genus
Pinus L. –
pine |
Species |
Pinus
aristata Engelm.
– bristlecone
pine |
Source:
Dendrology at
Virginia Tech
Gymnosperm Database
U.S. Department of
Agriculture
Nevada State Christmas Tree
Colorado Blue Spruce
Approved for Decoration on
December 15, 1937
State Christmas State Tree:
A Colorado blue spruce
planted near the state
capitol in 1876 by George
Washington Gale Ferris, Sr.
(father of the invetor of
the Ferris Wheel) was
approved for decoration with
Christmas lights on December
15, 1937. So began a
tradition that was amended
during the energy crisis of
1972, when the lights were
removed. The tree was
relighted in 1988.
Description:
- Leaf:
Evergreen, stiff, 3/4 to
1 1/4 inch long,
yellow-green to bluish
or white. Needles are
very sharp, and have an
acidic taste.
Flower: Monoecious;
males yellow-brown to
purple, scattered
throughout trees;
females purple, upright,
in tops of the trees.
- Fruit: Cones
are 2 to 4 inches long,
cylindrical, light brown
in color. Cone scales
are pointed with
jagged-erose margins.
Maturing in autumn.
- Twig: Stout
(when compared to other
spruces), hairless,
orange-brown. Needles
are borne on woody pegs.
Bud scales are
noticeably reflexed.
- Bark: Gray to
red-brown, young trees
with small, thin scales
- older trees developing
furrows.
- Form: A
medium to large tree
with pyramidal form.
Branches appear layered,
especially with age.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
|
Kingdom |
Plantae -- Plants |
Subkingdom |
Tracheobionta --
Vascular plants |
Superdivision |
Spermatophyta – Seed
plants |
Division |
Coniferophyta –
Conifers |
Class |
Pinopsida – |
Order |
Pinales – |
Family |
Pinaceae – Pine
family |
Genus |
Picea A.
Dietr. – spruce |
Species |
Picea pungens
Engelm. – blue
spruce |
|