Pinus patula
Common name
Mexican weeping pine
Family
Pinaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Gymnosperms
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
PINPAT
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial. Aggressively colonises open forest canopy.
Detailed description
Small or medium tree, reaching to 30 m, with wide spreading branches. Needles up to 30 cm, thin, flexible, held in bundles of three, which droop down below the branches. Bark red-brown, peeling readily to reveal bright orange-brown underbark. Terminal shoots on the branches turn upright, and are surrounded by male cones. Female cones change from pink to brown as they mature, reaching about 8 cm long, often slightly curved and elongated.
Similar taxa
This species is easily distinguished from all other 2–3 needled pines wild in New Z by the very slender, pendulous, grass-green needles and the prominently erect buds which are often at right angles to the shoot. (Webb et al 1988).
Flower colours
No flowers
Life cycle
Perennial; reproduces by wind dispersed seed.
Year naturalised
1957
Origin
S. Mexico
Reason for introduction
Forestry
Etymology
patula: Spreading
CONIFER IDENTIFICATION
The National Wilding Conifer Control Programme team at Biosecurity New Zealand, a branch of Ministry for Primary Industries, has produced this wilding conifer quick ID guide.
References and further reading
Webb CJ, Sykes WR, Garnock-Jones PJ. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV. Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons. Botany Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Christchurch, NZ. 1365 p.