Pinaceae FAMILY Near Threatened

Pinus gerardiana

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

The wood, sawdust and resins from various species of pine can cause dermatitis in sensitive people[ 222 Title A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Publication Author Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. Publisher Houghton Mifflin Co. Year 1990 ISBN 0395467225 Description A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties. ].

Botanical Description

Pinus gerardiana is an evergreen tree with a deep, wide and open crown comprising long, erect branches; it usually grows 15 - 20 metres tall, occasionally to 25 metres. Boles in excess of 100cm are reported[ 329 Title The Gymnosperm Database Publication Author Website http://www.conifers.org/index.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A vast amount of information on conifers and families of gymnosperms. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. The seeds are an important local food source and are also sold in local markets[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. The plant is sometimes cultivated, especially in Afghanistan, as a food plant[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. , 329 Title The Gymnosperm Database Publication Author Website http://www.conifers.org/index.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A vast amount of information on conifers and families of gymnosperms. ]. Pinus gerardiana forests have declined and continue to decline throughout their extensive range. While there is insufficient range wide information to quantify this decline accurately, it is strongly suspected that it is approaching at least 30%.. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeE. Asia - Himalayan regions of eastern Afghanistan, southwestern China (Xizang), Pakistan and northwest India

HabitatDry inner valleys, usually on limestone; at elevations up to 3,000 metres[ 51 Title Flowers of the Himalayas. Publication Author Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Publisher Oxford Universtiy Press Year 1984 ISBN - Description A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses. , 120 Title The Plantsman. Vol. 2. 1980 - 1981. Publication Author ? Publisher Royal Horticultural Society Year 1980 ISBN - Description Excerpts from the periodical giving cultivation details and other notes on some of the useful plants including Billardiera spp, Calochortus spp, Drimys spp. , 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. Gregarious on sunny,dry, steep, rocky slopes on granite or clay slate in areas beyond the reach of the S.W. monsoons[ 146 Title A Manual of Indian Timbers. Publication Author Gamble. J. S. Publisher Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh Year 1972 ISBN - Description First written in the 19th century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader. ].