Pinus echinata, Mill.

Form.—From 80-100 feet high, 2-3½ feet in diameter; trunk straight, slightly tapering; crown pyramidal or rounded; limbs not tolerant of shade and in dense stands dropping off early leaving a long, clean trunk.

Leaves.—In clusters of 2 and 3, the leaves in threes more often near the ends of twigs; slender, flexible, 3-5 inches long, blue-green.

Flowers.—April-May; monoecious, pale purple, staminate flowers in clusters at base of new growth; pistillate flowers 2-4 in a whorl near end of new growth, pale rose-colored.

Fruit.—Cones maturing at end of second year; ovoid, 1½-2½ inches long; flat scales, armed with weak, often deciduous prickles; seeds triangular, winged, brown mottled with black.

Bark.—On the trunk broken into large more or less rectangular plates the scales of which readily peel off.

Wood.—Hard, heavy, coarse-grained, yellowish.

Range.—New York to Florida and west to Missouri and Texas.

Distribution in West Virginia.—A scattered growth in the hilly counties lying east of the Ohio river and in the counties along the Alleghany Mountains.

Habitat.—Usually found with hardwoods and other pines on clay or gravelly soil, on hills or stony slopes.

Notes.—The Yellow-Pine can be distinguished from the other pines by its clusters of two and three slender leaves and its small cones. It furnishes excellent lumber for commerce and is extensively used for many purposes in buildings.