Editing Pinus flexilis (section)

==== ''Pinus albicaulis'' ====
Distinguishing limber pine from the related whitebark pine (''P. albicaulis''), also a white pine, is very much more difficult, and can only easily be done by the cones. In limber pine, the cones are {{convert|6-15|cm|in|frac=4|abbr=on}} long<ref name=":0" /> where the species overlap, green when immature, and open to release the seeds; the scales are not fragile. In whitebark pine, the cones are {{convert|4|-|7|cm|in|frac=4|abbr=on}} long, dark purple when immature, and do not open on drying, but are fragile and are pulled apart by birds to release the seeds.<ref>{{cite web |title=''Pinus'' subgenus ''Strobus'' |url=http://www.pinetum.org/cones/PNStrobus.htm |work=Michael P. Frank's Cone Collection |publisher=Arboretum de Villardebelle}}</ref> A useful clue is that whitebark pines almost never have intact old cones lying under them, whereas limber pines usually do.
<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roady |first1=Laura |title=Whitebark Pine |url=http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/HTML/articles/portraits/whitebarkpine.htm |access-date=15 March 2015 |website=Montana Outdoors |publisher=Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks}}</ref>