Flora of New Zealand Series

patula pine

Small or medium-sized, widespreading tree (to c. 20 m high in cultivation), with fairly dense habit. Bark thick, fissured, with reddish brown below surface; surface dark reddish brown or reddish on upper trunk, otherwise grey. Shoots glaucous for at least one season, glabrous, rough with prominent old lf bases. Buds cylindric, shining brown, not resinous; scales spreading in upper part. Lvs 3 per fascicle, 13-28-(33) cm × 0.7-0.9 mm, very slender and flexible, pendulous, grass-green; resin canals median; sheaths persistent, usually 1.5-2.5 cm long in mature lvs. ♂ strobili to 1 cm long, cylindric-ovoid. Conelets stalked; umbo mucronate. Mature cones persistent and remaining closed for several years, pointing backward, sessile or very shortly stalked, usually several to a cluster, 6-9 × 3-4 cm when closed, ± cylindric-ovoid or cylindric-oblong, light brown, usually curved; base asymmetric; apophyses flat except for sunken umbo with very small, often deciduous, prickle. Seed small; wing to c. 1.5 cm long, broad and asymmetric.

N.: Rotoehu (Bay of Plenty); S.: Golden Downs and Rai Saddle (Nelson).

S. Mexico 1957

Forest tracks, roadside banks.

Patula pine is cultivated for timber in several state forests and has become popular as an ornamental tree for parks and gardens in recent years. At Rotoehu and Golden Downs regeneration is prolific where the forest canopy is open, and the sp. has spread into adjacent areas where competition is not great. Thus, at Rotoehu it is an aggressive sp., which has colonised many sites.

This sp. is easily distinguished from all other 2-3-needled pines wild in N.Z. by the very slender, pendulous, grass-green needles and the prominently erect buds which are often at right angles to the shoot.