The Pine family comprises nearly 300 species belonging to 34 genera, distributed principally in temperate regions throughout the world. This family is of great economic importance, supplying a larger quantity of lumber than any other family as well as enormous amounts of tannin, turpentine, resin, tar and pitch. Many of its members also are highly useful for ornamental purposes.

The leaves of the trees and shrubs belonging to the Pine family are needle-shaped, awl-shaped, or scale-like, and are usually persistent for more than one year, the American Larch or Tamarack being the only exception to this rule in West Virginia. The seeds are borne either in true cones, or in berry-like fruits such as are produced on the cedars.

The following are the genera of Pinaceae represented in West Virginia:

Pinus.—Of the 34 species of pines native to North America only 5 are found in West Virginia. These are described and illustrated on following pages. Besides the native pines several introduced species are planted on lawns and in parks. The most common of the exotics are Red Pine (Pinus resinosa, Ait.) and Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris, L.), the former having smooth cones about 2 inches long and leaves 4-6 inches long, two in a bundle, and the latter having cones 1½-2½ inches long, and leaves 1½-3½ inches long, two in a bundle.

KEY TO THE SPECIES OF PINUS

• Leaves 5 in a cluster; cones smooth, 4-10 inches long
• P. strobus, p. 29.
• Leaves fewer than 5 in a cluster; cones less than 4 inches long.
• Leaves 3 in a cluster; cones with prickles
• P. rigida, p. 31.
• Leaves 2 in a cluster.
• Leaves stiff, sharp-pointed, 2-4 inches long; cones 2-4 inches long with very thick sharp spines
• P. pungens, p. 33.
• Leaves twisted 1½-3½ inches long; cones 2-3 inches long; scales terminated with prickles
• P. virginiana, p. 37.
• Leaves slender, not twisted, 3-4 inches long, often 3 in a cluster, especially near the ends of twigs
• P. echinata, p. 35.

Larix, (page 39).—There are 10 known species of Larches found principally in the colder regions of the northern hemisphere. Three of these are indigenous to North America and one extends as far south as the northern part of West Virginia. Unlike most of the members of the Pine family the Larches shed their leaves each fall. The European Larch (Larix decidua, Mill.) is frequently planted for ornamental purposes. It can be distinguished from the native species by its much larger cones.

Picea, (page 41).—Eight of the 18 or 20 known species of Spruces are native to North America and one species is found in West Virginia. The 2 introduced Spruces most commonly planted are Norway Spruce (Picea Abies, (L.) Karst.) and Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens, Engl.). The Norway Spruce can be distinguished from our native species by its much larger cones, and the Colorado Blue Spruce by its blue-green foliage.

Tsuga, (page 43).—This genus comprises 8 species, 4 of which grow in Asia and 4 in North America. One of the 2 Eastern Hemlocks is common in West Virginia, the other (Tsuga caroliniana, Engl.) grows from the mountains of Virginia south to Georgia.

Abies, (page 45).—The 25 known species of Firs are found principally in cold and temperate regions. Of the 10 species in North America only 2 are found east of the Rocky Mountains and 1 in West Virginia. The other Eastern Fir is Abies balsamea, (L.) Mill, which does not extend southward into this State.

Thuja, (page 47).—Four species of Arbor Vitae are known, 2 of which are native to North America, one in the West and the other in the East. The limited distribution in West Virginia of the latter is given on the page describing this species.

Juniperus, (page 49).—This is a large genus comprising 40 trees and shrubs. Of these, 16 species are found in North America. Red Cedar, described in this bulletin, is common in West Virginia and Juniperus communis, (L.) has been reported from Wood, Mineral and Fayette counties.

Other members of the Pine family which may be seen occasionally planted on lawns in West Virginia are the following:

White Cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides, (L.) B.S.P.)

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum, Rich.)

Ginkgo Tree (Ginkgo biloba, (L.)) and several other species and varieties of Junipers, Pines, Spruces, and Yews.