Editing Pinus peuce

{{Short description|Species of plant}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Pinus peuce Maliovitsa.jpg
| image_caption = Trees in native environment, [[Malyovitsa]], [[Rila Mountains]], Bulgaria.
| status = NT
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Farjon, A. |date=2017 |title=''Pinus peuce'' |volume=2017 |page=e.T34193A95751594 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T34193A95751594.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| display_parents = 3
| genus = Pinus
| parent = Pinus subsect. Strobus
| species = peuce
| authority = [[August Grisebach|Griseb.]]<ref name=grisebach>Grisebach, A., (1844). Spicilegium florae rumelicae et bithynicae exhibens synopsin plantarum, Vol. 2. "Brunsvigae : Vieweg", p. 349, https://mdz-nbn-resolving.de/details:bsb10301664</ref>
| range_map = Pinus peuce range.svg
| range_map_caption = Distribution range of ''Pinus peuce''
}}

'''''Pinus peuce''''' ('''Macedonian pine'''<ref name=BSBI07>{{BSBI 2007 |access-date=2014-10-17 }}</ref> or '''Balkan pine'''<ref>Michael Dirr - Dirr's Hardy trees and shrubs: an illustrated encyclopedia, Timber Press, 1997, {{ISBN|9780881924046}}, page. 282</ref>) ([[Serbo-Croatian]] and [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]]: молика, molika; [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]: бяла мура, byala mura) is a species of [[pine]] native to the mountains of [[North Macedonia]], [[Bulgaria]], [[Albania]], [[Montenegro]], [[Kosovo]], the extreme southwest of [[Serbia]], and the extreme north of [[Greece]],<ref name=farjon>Farjon, A. (2005). ''Pines. Drawings and descriptions of the genus Pinus'', ed.2. Brill, Leiden {{ISBN|90-04-13916-8}}.</ref><ref name=gymnosperm>Gymnosperm Database [http://www.conifers.org/pi/pin/peuce.htm ''Pinus peuce'']</ref><ref>Critchfield, W. B., & Little, E. L. (1966). Geographic distribution of the pines of the World. ''U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Forest Service Misc. Publ''. 991.</ref> growing typically at (600-) 1,000-2,200 (-2,300) m altitude. It often reaches the alpine [[tree line]] in this area. The mature size is up to 35–40 m height, and 1.5 m trunk diameter.<ref name=farjon/><ref name=gymnosperm/> However, the height of the tree diminishes strongly near the upper tree line and may even obtain shrub sizes.<ref name="alexandrov11">{{citation |author=Alexandrov, A. |author2=Andonovski, V. |name-list-style=amp|title=Macedonian pine - ''Pinus peuce'': Technical guidelines for genetic conservation and use |date=2011 |page=6 pp |url=http://www.euforgen.org/fileadmin//templates/euforgen.org/upload/Publications/Technical_guidelines/1508_Macedonian_pine_Pinus_peuce.pdf |publisher=[[European Forest Genetic Resources Programme]]}}</ref>

It is a member of the [[white pine]] group, ''[[Pinus]]'' subgenus ''[[Strobus]]'', and like all members of that group, the leaves ('needles') are in fascicles (bundles) of five, with a deciduous sheath. They are 6–11&nbsp;cm long.   Its pine cones are mostly 8–16&nbsp;cm long, occasionally up to 20&nbsp;cm long, green at first, becoming yellow-brown when mature, with broad, flat to downcurved scales. The 6–7&nbsp;mm long [[seed]]s have a 2&nbsp;cm wing and can be wind-dispersed, but are also very often dispersed by [[spotted nutcracker]]s.<ref name=farjon/><ref name=gymnosperm/>

The species was first described in scientific literature by [[August Grisebach]] in 1844, based on field observations of montane pines on [[Baba (North Macedonia)|Baba Mountain]], above [[Bitola]].<ref name=grisebach/>

==Use==
Macedonian pine is one of the most valuable [[conifer]] species in the [[Balkan Peninsula]]. Its durable wood is highly valued in [[construction]], furniture production, [[wood-carving]] and [[cooper (profession)|cooper]]age. The tree is also exceptionally good at adapting to severe mountain climate conditions, which makes it a valuable species for [[afforestation]] on high terrain for protection against [[erosion]]. The local population use ''P. peuce'' [[resin]] to cure wounds, [[Chest|pectoral]], skin and stomach diseases, [[varicose veins]] and other illnesses.<ref name="alexandrov11"/>

Macedonian pine is also a popular ornamental tree in [[park]]s and large [[garden]]s, giving reliable steady though not fast growth on a wide range of sites. It is very tolerant of severe winter cold, hardy down to at least -45&nbsp;°C, and also of wind exposure. It is locally [[naturalisation (biology)|naturalised]] in [[Punkaharju]] in eastern Finland.<ref name=gymnosperm/>

Like other European and [[Asia]]n white pines, Macedonian pine is very resistant to [[white pine blister rust]] (''Cronartium ribicola'').<ref name=soegaard>Søegaard, B. (1972). Relative blister rust resistance of native and introduced white pines in Europe. Pages 233–239 in Bingham, R. T. et al., eds. Biology of Rust Resistance in Forest Trees. ''U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Forest Service Misc. Publ''. 1221.</ref><ref name=popnikola>Popnikola, N., M. Jovancevic, and M. Vidakovic. 1978. Genetics of Pinus peuce Gris. ''Annales Forestales'' 7/6: 187-206.</ref> This fungal disease was accidentally introduced from [[Europe]] into [[North America]], where it has caused severe mortality in the American native white pines (e.g. [[western white pine]], [[sugar pine]], [[whitebark pine]]) in many areas. Macedonian pine is of great value for research into hybridisation and genetic modification to develop rust resistance in these species; hybrids with [[eastern white pine]] inherit some resistance.<ref name=popnikola/>

==Other==
Synonyms include ''Pinus cembra'' var. ''fruticosa'' Griseb.,<ref>{{WCSP|380345}}</ref> ''Pinus excelsa'' var. ''peuce'' (Griseb.) Beissn.,<ref>Farjon, A. 1998. ''World Checklist and Bibliography of Conifers''. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 300 p.&nbsp;{{ISBN|1-900347-54-7}}.</ref> ''Pinus peuce'' var. ''vermiculata'' Christ,<ref name=popnikola/> and Balkan pine.<ref>Dirr, M. (1997). ''Dirr's Hardy trees and shrubs: an illustrated encyclopedia''. Timber Press {{ISBN|978-0-88192-404-6}}, page. 282</ref>

<gallery>
File:Pinus peuce Habitus BotGardBln0906.jpg|Cultivated specimen, Berlin Botanical Gardens
File:Pinus peuce cones.jpg|Foliage and cones
Pinus peuce young female cone - Keila.jpg|Young female cone
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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

{{Taxonbar|from=Q146021}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Pinus|peuce]]
[[Category:Flora of Southeastern Europe]]
[[Category:Flora of Europe]]
[[Category:Trees of Europe]]
[[Category:Taxa named by August Grisebach]]