Leaves in 2 or rarely in 3-leaved clusters, stout, semiterete or triangular, rigid, incurved, dark-green, marked by numerous rows of stomata, ¾′—1½′ long, deciduous during the third or not until the fourth or fifth year, dropping irregularly and sometimes persistent for eight or nine years.
A tree often 40°—50° high with a tall trunk occasionally 2° in diameter and short erect branches forming a narrow head, or frequently with a short divided trunk and a low round-topped head of spreading branches, and thick branchlets orange color during their first and second years, finally becoming light gray or dark brown sometimes tinged with red. Bark ½′—¾′ thick and irregularly divided into connected ridges covered by small closely appressed light brown scales tinged with red or orange color. Wood light, soft, not strong, brittle, pale brown; largely employed for fuel and fencing, and as charcoal used in smelting; in western Texas occasionally sawed into lumber. The seeds form an important article of food among Indians and Mexicans, and are sold in the markets of Colorado and New Mexico.
Distribution. Eastern foothills of the outer ranges of the Rocky Mountains, from northern Colorado (Owl Cañon, Larimer County); to the extreme western part of Oklahoma (near Kenton, Cimarron County, G. W. Stevens) and to western Texas, westward to eastern Utah, southwestern Wyoming, and to northern and central Arizona; over the mountains of northern Mexico, and on the San Pedro Mártir Mountains, Lower California; often forming extensive open forests at the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains, on the Colorado plateau, and on many mountain ranges of northern and central Arizona up to elevations of 7000° above the sea.
Pinus cembroides var. monophylla Voss. Nut Pine. Piñon.
Pinus monophylla Torr.
Leaves in 1 or 2-leaved clusters, rigid, incurved, pale glaucous green, marked by 18—20 rows of stomata, usually about 1½′ long, sometimes deciduous during their fourth and fifth seasons, but frequently persistent until their twelfth year.
A tree usually 15°—20°, occasionally 40°—50° high, with a short trunk rarely more than a foot in diameter and often divided near the ground into several spreading stems, short thick branches forming while the tree is young a broad rather compact pyramid, and in old age often pendulous and forming a low round-topped often picturesque head, and stout light orange-colored ultimately dark brown branchlets. Bark about ¾′ thick and divided by deep irregular fissures into narrow connected flat ridges broken on the surface into thin closely appressed light or dark brown scales tinged with red or orange color. Wood light, soft, weak, and brittle; largely used for fuel, and charcoal used in smelting. The seeds supply an important article of food to the Indians of Nevada and California.
Distribution. Dry gravelly slopes and mesas from the western base of the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, westward over the mountain ranges of Nevada to the eastern slopes of the southern Sierra Nevada, and to their western slope at the headwaters of the Tuolumne, Kings and Kern Rivers, and southward to northern Arizona and to the mountains of southern California where it is common on the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains between altitudes of 3500° and 7000°, and on the Sierra del Pinal, Lower California; often forming extensive open forests at elevations between 5000° and 7000°.