Rarest - Native Pine in North America - San Diego, CA
Posted by: 
Metro2
N 32° 55.259 W 117° 15.203
11S E 476308 N 3642555
Located near the Torrey Pines Visitors Center at Torrey Pines State Park.
Waymark Code: WMRJMJ
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 06/29/2016
Views: 2
Two signs accompany this Torrey pine.... one reads simply:
"Rarest Pine in North America
Also native to Santa Rosa Island"
another longer plaque reads:
"Torrey Pine
Pinus torreyana ssp. torreyana
Pinaceae - Pine Family
This is the rarest native plant in the United States, growing naturally only at Torrey Pines State Natural reserve and Santa Rosa Island off the California coast. First known to Spanish explorers as the Soledad (solitary) pine, they were a sailing landmark along the coast, and later described by Dr. Charles perry, and named for Dr. John Torrey, a leading botanist.
Trees grow to 60' in height and 30' in diameter with up to 200' feeder roots and live more than 100 years. The size and shape vary with the exposure, achieving their rugged, contorted forms where shaped by salt-laden wind off the ocean.
Female stroboli (conelets) grow high in the tree and male stoboli low, releasing a fine yellow pollen. Pollinated cones take 2.5 years to produce winged seeds below the scales , which open to release the seeds.
The grooved 8-10" needles are typically in bundles (fascicles) of 5 - unusual for a yellow pine and serve to collect moisture which drips to the root zone below."
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