Editing Pinus heldreichii

{{Short description|Species of conifer}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Massiccio del Pollino, Serra di Crispo - giardino degli dei (pini loricati).jpg
| image_caption = Trees in [[Pollino National Park]] in Italy
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Caković, D. |author2=Gargano, D. |author3=Matevski, V. |author4=Shuka, L. |date=2017 |title=''Pinus heldreichii'' |volume=2017 |page=e.T42368A95725658 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T42368A95725658.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
| display_parents = 3
| genus = Pinus
| parent = Pinus subsect. Pinaster
| species = heldreichii
| authority = [[H.Christ]] (1863)
| range_map = Pinus heldreichii range.svg
| range_map_caption = Natural range of ''Pinus heldreichii''
| synonyms_ref = <ref name="FarjonPines"/>
| synonyms = {{species list
| Pinus leucodermis | Antoine (1864)
| Pinus heldreichii ''var.'' leucodermis | (Antoine) Markgr. ex Fitschen 
| Pinus nigra ''var.'' leucodermis | (Antoine) Rehder 
| Pinus pindica | Formánek }}
}}

'''''Pinus heldreichii''''', the '''Bosnian pine''' or '''Heldreich's pine''', is a species of [[pine]] native to mountains of southeast Europe in the [[Balkans]] and southern [[Italy]].

==Description==
It is an [[evergreen]] tree up to {{convert|25|–|35|m|abbr=off}} in height, and {{convert|2|m|ft|abbr=on|frac=2}} in trunk diameter. The bark is smooth pale grey at first, becoming hard and tesselated into small hexagonal to rounded plates (somewhat reminiscent of [[crocodile]] skin) in old trees.

It is a member of the [[hard pine]] group, ''Pinus'' subgenus ''Pinus'', with [[leaves]] ('needles') in fascicles (bundles) of two, with a persistent sheath. They are {{convert|4.5|–|10|cm|abbr=off|frac=4}} long and {{convert|1.5|–|2|mm|frac=32}} thick. [[conifer cone|Cones]] are {{convert|5|–|9|cm|abbr=on|frac=2}} long, with thin, fragile scales; they are dark blue-purple before maturation, turning brown when ripe about 16–18 months after pollination. The {{convert|6|-|7|mm|abbr=on|frac=32}} long [[seed]]s have a {{convert|2|–|2.5|cm|abbr=on|frac=4}} wing and are wind-[[Seed dispersal|dispersed]].<ref name="FarjonPines">{{cite book | last=Farjon | first=Aljos | title=Pines | publisher=Brill | publication-place=Leiden ; Boston | date=2005 | isbn=90-04-13916-8 | page=100–101 }}</ref>
<gallery>
File:Байкушева мура 01.JPG|Trunk of an old tree ('Baikushev's pine')
File:Pinus heldreichii leg P.Cikovac Jastrebica Mt Orjen.jpg|Bark on an old tree, showing the distinctive "crocodile-skin" pattern
File:2024-07-24 Pinus heldreichii, Park Prirode Blidinje, Jablanica, Herzegovina 1.jpg|Dark purple one-year old cones, and a light brown open cone from the previous year
File:2024-07-24 Pinus heldreichii, Park Prirode Blidinje, Jablanica, Herzegovina 5.jpg|First-year conelets about two months after pollination
File:2024-07-24 Pinus heldreichii, Park Prirode Blidinje, Jablanica, Herzegovina 3.jpg|Mature open cone
</gallery>

== Nomenclature ==
The species was first described as ''Pinus heldreichii'' by the Swiss [[botanist]] [[K. Hermann Christ]] in honour of [[Theodor von Heldreich]] in 1863 from specimens von Heldreich collected on [[Mount Olympus]], and then described a second time as ''P. leucodermis'' in 1864; the author of the second description (the Austrian botanist F. Antoine who found it on [[Orjen]] above the [[Bay of Kotor]] in Montenegro) being unaware of the slightly earlier publication by Christ. Some minor morphological differences have been claimed between the two descriptions (leading to the maintenance of both as separate [[taxon|taxa]] by a few botanists), but this is not supported by modern studies of the species, which show that both names refer to the same taxon. The discrepancies in the descriptions are largely due to Christ's cone specimens being immature and shrunken after drying, having been collected in July, three months before maturity.<ref name="Businský1">{{cite journal |last1=Businský |first1=R. |title=Beitrag zur Taxonomie und Nomenklatur von ''Pinus heldreichii'' Christ und ''P. leucodermis'' Antoine sowie des Kultivars 'Smidtii' |lang=de |journal=Mitteilungen der Deutschen Dendrologischen Gesellschaft |date=1989 |volume=79 |pages=91-106}}</ref><ref name="FarjonPines"/>

== Taxonomy ==
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== Distribution ==
It can be found in the mountains of [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Montenegro]], southwestern [[Bulgaria]], [[Albania]], [[North Macedonia]], [[Kosovo]], northern [[Greece]] (Valia Kalda, Smolikas and Vasilitsa, Mount Olympus and in other high mountains), and locally in southern [[Italy]] (it is the symbol of the [[Pollino National Park]]), growing at {{convert|900|–|2500|m|abbr=on}} altitude. It reaches the alpine [[tree line]] in these areas.<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021"/><ref name="FarjonPines"/>

== Longevity ==
A tree in Northern Greece was dated as 1,075 years old in 2016.<ref>New Scientist magazine issue 27th Aug 2016 page 7</ref>

What is believed to be the oldest known living tree in Europe has been discovered in a remote mountainous area of the [[Pollino National Park]] in southern Italy. It is a Heldreich's pine estimated at 1,230 years. Much of its core has turned to dust, but there is enough new growth to confirm it is still alive.<ref name="NatGeo">{{cite magazine |date=25 May 2018 |title=Oldest European Tree Found—And It's Having a Growth Spurt |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/oldest-tree-europe-italy-pine-climate-science |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921224528/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/oldest-tree-europe-italy-pine-climate-science |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 21, 2021 |magazine=National Geographic |access-date=17 February 2022 |author-last=Ceurstemont |author-first=Sandrine}}</ref>

A notable specimen in the [[Pirin]] Mountains of Bulgaria, known as [[Baikushev's pine]], is {{convert|24|m|abbr=on}} tall, {{convert|2.2|m|abbr=on}} in diameter, and is estimated to be over 1300 years old.<ref>{{cite web |title=Байкушевата мура – най-старото иглолистно дърво в България {{!}} Географ.БГ |date=22 July 2015 |url=https://geograf.bg/bg/article/baykushevata-mura-nay-staroto-iglolistno-drvo-v-blgariya}}</ref>

==Cultivation and uses==
''P. heldreichii'' is able to adapt to extreme environmental conditions and is also a good colonist of dry high altitude sites. It is resistant to [[sulphur dioxide]], [[hydrogen fluoride]], [[nitrogen dioxide]] and [[ozone]] pollution and is further able to withstand wind, ice and heavy snow. These abilities makes it suitable for [[reforestation]] of extensive dry and high-altitude areas. In the south of Italy it is planted because it is less susceptible to [[pest (organism)|pest]]s than other [[pine]] species.<ref>{{citation |author=Vendramin, G. |author2=Fineschi, S. |author3=Fady, B. |name-list-style=amp |title=Bosnian pine - ''Pinus heldreichii'' syn. ''Pinus leucodermis'': Technical guidelines for genetic conservation and use |date=2008 |page=6 p |url=http://www.euforgen.org/fileadmin//templates/euforgen.org/upload/Publications/Technical_guidelines/1325_Bosnian_pine__Pinus_heldreichii_syn._Pinus_leucodermis_.pdf |publisher=EUFORGEN: European Forest Genetic Resources Programme |access-date=2016-10-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220064540/http://www.euforgen.org/fileadmin//templates/euforgen.org/upload/Publications/Technical_guidelines/1325_Bosnian_pine__Pinus_heldreichii_syn._Pinus_leucodermis_.pdf |archive-date=2016-12-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 

Bosnian pine is a popular ornamental tree in parks and large gardens, giving reliable, steady, though not fast, growth on a wide range of sites, and with a very neat, conical crown. It is also noted for its very decorative purple cones. The [[cultivar]]s 'Smidtii'<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/133030/i-Pinus-heldreichii-i-Smidtii/Details | title = RHS Plantfinder - ''Pinus heldreichii'' 'Smidtii' | access-date = 2 May 2018}}</ref> and 'Compact Gem'<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/13087/i-Pinus-heldreichii-i-Compact-Gem/Details | title = RHS Plantfinder - ''Pinus heldreichii'' 'Compact Gem' | access-date = 2 May 2018}}</ref> have been given the [[Royal Horticultural Society]]'s [[Award of Garden Merit]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf | title = AGM Plants - Ornamental | date = July 2017 | page = 78 | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | access-date = 2 May 2018}}</ref> It is hardy down to at least {{convert|-45|C}}, and tolerant of severe wind exposure. Many in cultivation are still grown under the name ''Pinus leucodermis'' or ''Pinus heldreichii'' var. ''leucodermis''.

The wood of the species is aromatic, containing several types of monoterpenes and diterpenes, noticeably [[limonene]], and thus is commonly utilised in the Balkans for making wine barrels<ref>{{cite journal | last=Graikou | first=K. | last2=Gortzi | first2=O. | last3=Mantanis | first3=G. | author3-link=George Mantanis | last4=Chinou | first4=I. | title=Chemical composition and biological activity of the essential oil from the wood of Pinus heldreichii Christ. var. leucodermis | journal=European Journal of Wood and Wood Products | volume=70 | issue=5 | date=2012 | issn=0018-3768 | doi=10.1007/s00107-012-0596-9 | pages=615–620}}</ref> for white wines.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:2024-07-24 Pinus heldreichii, Park Prirode Blidinje, Jablanica, Herzegovina 2.jpg|Young tree
File:2024-07-24 Pinus heldreichii, Park Prirode Blidinje, Jablanica, Herzegovina 6.jpg|Smooth bark on a young tree
Pinus heldreichii Orjen.jpg|Specimen on [[Orjen]]
Heldreichii Orjen.jpg|Specimen on Orjen
Heldreichii Orjen Beechforest.jpg
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Literature==
*[[Simone Morris]] (2017) ''Pini Loricati nella nebbia'' | {{ISBN|9781389798900}}
*[[Simone Morris]] (2018) ''Loricati in the fog'' |  {{ASIN|B07H5CQ4WG}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Pinus heldreichii|''Pinus heldreichii''}}
*{{Wikispecies-inline|Pinus heldreichii|''Pinus heldreichii''}}
* [http://www.euforgen.org/species/pinus-heldreichii/ ''Pinus heldreichii''] - information, genetic conservation units and related resources. [[European Forest Genetic Resources Programme]] (EUFORGEN)

{{Taxonbar|from=Q460531}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Flora of Bosnia and Herzegovina]]
[[Category:Flora of Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Flora of Italy]]
[[Category:Flora of Europe]]
[[Category:Pinus|heldreichii]]
[[Category:Flora of Montenegro]]
[[Category:Orjen]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Hermann Christ]]