PINES—Three species.—They have their needles gathered together at the
base in bundles of from two to five. The cones are woody and
pendent.
Limber pine (_Pinus flexilis_).—Stout, dark-green needles, 1½ to 3
inches long, in bundles of five. Cones 3 to 10 inches long, with
seeds about ⅓-inch in length. Cone scales smooth. Bark light gray,
except on old trunks, which are blackish brown and furrowed.
Ponderosa pine (_Pinus ponderosa_).—This tree was formerly known as
western yellow pine. Needles 5 to 11 inches long, dark green,
usually three in a cluster, but often in twos and in tufts at the
ends of the branches. Cones 3 to 6 inches long, oval-shaped. Cone
scales armed with spines. When young, the bark is dark, and the
tree is known as “black jack” or “bull pine.” When older, the bark
is reddish brown and occurs in thick, scaly ridges.
Piñon or piñon pine (_Pinus edulis_).—Piñon is a short, scrubby tree,
often growing in mixture with juniper, and is confined to the
foothills. Needles usually in bundles of two, rarely three, ¾ to
1½ inches long. Cones 1½ inches long and almost as broad,
containing large seeds, which are the piñon nuts of commerce.
SPRUCES.—Two species. Needles scattered over the twigs singly. Needles
are sharp-pointed, four-sided, leaving twigs rough like a grater
when they fall off. Cones pendent, with parchmentlike scales,
falling off the tree whole.
Engelmann spruce (_Picea engelmannii_).—The new-growth twigs are covered
with soft, short hairs. Needles less rigid and less sharply
pointed than those of blue spruce; green, dark blue green, or pale
steel blue. Cones about 2 inches long. Bark is dark reddish brown
and separates in the form of small, rounded scales. Main trunk, in
contrast to blue spruce, is smooth and clean.
Blue spruce (_Picea pungens_).—The new-growth twigs are not covered with
hair. Needles stiff, with sharp points, varying in color from
silvery blue to green. Cones about 3 inches long. Bark of mature
trunks gray and deeply furrowed. Main trunk always has numerous
short twigs pushing out between branches.
FIRS.—Two species. Needles blunt, flat, and soft to touch, without any
stem where they join branches. Needles leave flat, round scars
when they fall off, in contrast to short stubs left by spruce
needles on twigs. Cones, unlike those of other conifers, are
erect. In the fall the cone scales drop off, leaving only a spike
on the branch. Buds blunt and pitchy. Blisters containing pitch or
balsam are scattered over the smoother bark.
Alpine fir (_Abies lasiocarpa_).—Blunt flat needles, about 1 to 1¾
inches long, soft to the touch and fragrant. Needles tend to turn
upward. Dark-purple cones, 2¼ to 4 inches long. Bark smooth,
grayish white, except on older part of the trunk, where it is
broken into ridges. Tree has a sharp, spirelike crown. Grows at
high altitudes, usually with Engelmann spruce.
Corkbark fir (_Abies arizonica_).—The trunk, crown, cones, and needles
of the corkbark and alpine fir are so alike in general appearance
that the two cannot be readily distinguished by these features.
The cone scales of the corkbark fir are of a different form than
those of the alpine, and the bracts borne on the backs of the
scales also differ materially. The ashy-gray, soft, corky trunk
bark alone readily distinguishes this tree from the alpine fir.
DOUGLAS FIR (_Pseudotsuga taxifolia_).—Though similar in name, this
species is not a true fir. Flat leaves, ¾ to 1½ inches long, with
a short stem that joins them to the branches. Cones with
three-pronged bracts extending beyond the cone scales. Cone scales
persistent, the cones falling off the tree whole. Buds are
sharp-pointed, shiny, smooth, red brown.
JUNIPERS or CEDARS.—Three species. Fruit reduced to small, bluish
berries, needles reduced to tiny green scales on the twigs, though
sometimes spreading and about ½ inch long, making twigs very
prickly to the touch.
Rocky Mountain red cedar (_Juniperus scopulorum_).—Berries ¼ to ⅓ inch
in diameter, bright blue, usually with 2 seeds. Berries mature in
2 years. Bark scaly, twigs slender and graceful, heartwood red.
One-seed juniper (_Juniperus monosperma_).—Berries small, mostly less
than ¼ inch in diameter, usually contain only one seed, maturing
in 1 year. They are covered with a bluish bloom which may be
rubbed off exposing the true reddish or coppery color. Twigs stiff
and stout. Heartwood brown.
Utah juniper (_Juniperus utahensis_).—Berries ¼ to ⅓ inch long. Bark
ashy gray, about ¼ inch thick, broken into long thin scales. Wood
light brown, with nearly white sapwood. Berries are reddish brown,
have one or rarely two seeds, mature in 2 years. A small bushy
tree, rarely over 20 feet high.