Pinus sylvestris L.
Scots pine
Medium-sized to large tree; crown ± flattened in mature and older trees. Bark fissured and grey on lower trunk, becoming reddish or orange-brown and flaking on upper trunk. Shoots light yellow, yellowish brown or light brown, glabrous. Buds cylindric-ovoid, reddish brown, not or slightly resinous; scales free at tips. Lvs 2 per fascicle, 2.5-7 cm × 1-1.5 mm, ± twisted, fairly rigid, nearly always bluish green; resin canals ± marginal; sheaths becoming very short. ♂ strobili c. 5 mm long, ± cylindric. Conelets stalked; scales mucronate. Cone stalks short and recurved. Mature cones ± pendent, deciduous, falling intact, 3-6 × 1.5-3 cm when closed, cylindric- oblong or cylindric-ovoid, light brownish grey, symmetric or slightly asymmetric; apophyses ± elongated and tending to curve towards base; umbo not armed. Seed wing asymmetric, < 1 cm long.
N.: Kaweka State Forest Park (Napier District); S.: N. Canterbury (from Glynn Wye to Waterfall Stream near Hanmer).
Europe, W. and N. Asia 1919
Occasional escape from cultivation, only properly naturalised at and near Glynn Wye on slopes and terraces above the Waiau R.
Scots pine is cultivated in cooler parts of the country, especially in E. South Id districts, but is generally uncommon. There is considerable variation in cultivation in N.Z. and some trees have lvs which are ± green instead of glaucous, and are only slightly curved instead of twisted as is typical for this sp. The pronounced reddish colouring of the upper trunk and main branches, as well as the flat crown, are not evident until the trees are quite large.
