De I. VNER VEW D Forest Trees of the Pacific Slope

FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 41
Lo?;oGEVIT.-Mature trees reach an age of from 175 to 310 years. Age
limits imperfectly known. Trees from 18 to 21 inches in diameter are from
320 to 355 years old.
RANGE.
Confined to California at high elevations on the head of the Sacramento River, of
northern Coast Range, and of the southern Sierras. On Scott Mountains, Siskiyou
County, at 5,000 to 6,000 feet, Mount Eddy, and Yola Buli (Tehama County). In southern
Sierras on both sides of divide between head of South Fork of San Joaquin River and
that of North Fork of Kings River (in T. 8 S., R. 28 E., T. 9 S., R. 29 E). Southward it
appears on west side of main divide at Kearsage Pass at the head of South Fork of
Kings River, where it ascends to 12,000 feet, continuing southward to within a few miles
south of Mionache Peak. On Mount Silliman, ascending to 10,500 feet, on Tharpe Peak
at 9,000 to 10,000 feet, at 10,000 feet on Kaweah peaks, and at 9,000 to 11,000 feet on
all divides which define head basins of Middle and East forks of Kaweah, Kern, Little
Kern, Middle Tule, and South Fork of Kern rivers. On upper Kern River it occurs between
10,500 and 11,500 feet, on Little Kern at elevations above 9,000 feet, on Middle
Fork of Kaweah River at 10,000 to 10,500 feet. It reaches to the east slopes of the
main Sierra divide only at the head of Cottonwood Creek, where it occurs at 9,000 to
11,500 feet.
OCCURRENCE.
Bare, high, rocky slopes and summits of ridges at timber line, Chiefly on broken and
disintegrated granite, which is often very coarse, shallow, and quick-drying and subject
to great variation in temperature. With lodgepole pine, California red fir, and black
hemlock in lower part of range; at higher levels with western white pine; toward its
upper limit often in open stands with white-bark pine or in pure stands which are sometimes
of considerable extent ; at timber line, usually the only species.
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS.-Endures great seasonal and daily ranges of temperature, short
growing season, heavy snowfall, moderate spring rainfall, and extreme drought in summer.
Requires but little moisture.
TOLERANCE.-Little tolerant of shade at any stage of growth; does not form dense
stands; similar in this respect to limber, white-bark, and bristle-cone pines.
REPoDnUcTLoN.-Moderate seeder. Some cones locally produced nearly every year,
with especially heavy seed years. Seed widely disseminated by wind and flood waters,
but eaten in large numbers by birds and rodents. Best germination in exposed mineral
soil. Reproduction never dense.
Torrey Pine; Soledad Pine.
Pinus torreyana Parry.
I)ISTINGUTISHIING CHARACTERISTICS.
The Torrey pine is little known, except in its very confined seacoast range.
Exposed to high winds it is a low, crooked, bent, or sprawling tree from 25 to
35 feet in height and from 8 to 14 inches in diameter. Away from sea winds
it has a straight trunk and a height of 50 or 60 feet. The crown is small,
rounded, and often composed of only few large, greatly developed branches.
The trunk bark, about an inch thick, is roughly and deeply broken into ridges
with wide, flat, pale reddish-brown scales. The bark of branches and of young
trees is thick, spongy, and dull gray. The foliage is clustered in large bunches
at the extremities of the stout branches, and has a dark gray-green color.
The heavy leaves (fig. 12, a), 5 in a bundle, vary from 7A to about 13 inches
in length. Little is known of the duration of the leaves, but they are retained
for at least 3 or 4 years. The cones (fig. 12) are ripe early in August of the
third season. By the middle of September some of the seeds (fig. 12) are
shed; a number are held in the cone for several years after the cones fall.
The ends of the cone scales are a deep russet or chocolate brown. Cones are
strongly attached to the branches by thick stems and usually remain on the
tree for 4 or 5 years; they break away at their base, a part of which is left