Editing Pinus tabuliformis (section)

==Description==
''Pinus tabuliformis'' is a medium-sized [[evergreen]] [[tree]] growing to {{Convert|20–30|m|abbr=off}} tall, with a flat-topped crown when mature. The growth rate is fast when young, but slows with age. The grey-brown [[Bark (botany)|bark]] fissures at an early age compared to other trees. The broadly spreading shape is very pronounced, in part due to the long [[horizontal plane|horizontal]] branching pattern.

The needle-like [[leaf|leaves]] are shiny grey-green, {{Convert|10–17|cm|abbr=off|frac=4}} long and {{Convert|1.5|mm|frac=16}} broad, usually in pairs but occasionally in threes at the tips of strong shoots on young trees. The [[conifer cone|cones]] are green, ripening brown about 20 months after pollination, broad ovoid, {{Convert|4–6|cm|abbr=on|frac=8}} long, with broad scales, each scale with a small prickle. The [[seed]]s are {{Convert|6–7|mm|abbr=on|frac=32}} long with a {{Convert|15–20|mm|abbr=on|frac=16}} wing, and are wind-[[Biological dispersal|dispersed]].

{{gallery|mode=packed
|Pinus tabuliformis Shang Ning.jpg|Foliage and cone
|Pinus tabuliformis Hua Shan3.jpg|In [[Hua Shan]], [[Shaanxi]]
|CekCung.jpg|In [[Badaling]], [[Hebei]]
|后石坞古松 - Ancient Pines in Houshiwu Scenic Area - 2012.07 - panoramio.jpg|In [[Tai'an]], [[Shandong]]
}}

=== Varieties ===
There are two [[variety (botany)|varieties]]:
*''Pinus tabuliformis'' var. ''tabuliformis''. China, except for Liaoning. Broadest cone scales under 15&nbsp;mm broad.
*''Pinus tabuliformis'' var. ''mukdensis''. Liaoning, North Korea. Broadest cone scales over 15&nbsp;mm broad.

Some botanists also treat the closely related Henry's pine (''[[Pinus henryi]]'') and Sikang pine (''[[Pinus densata]]'') as varieties of Chinese red pine; in some older texts even the very distinct Yunnan pine (''[[Pinus yunnanensis]]'') is included as a variety.