Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon 

Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon; Photo conifers.org and baguiocityguide.com

Latin name:

Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon 

Synonym:

Pinus cavendishiana Parl. 

Pinus insularis var. khasyana (Griff.) Silba

Pinus kasya Parl. 

Pinus kasya Royle ex Parl.

Pinus khasia Engelm. 

Pinus khasya Hook.f.

Pinus khasyana Griff.

Vernacular name: 

Thông ba lá 

Family: 

Pinaceae 

Morphology:

A big tree, 3D-35m high with straight, cylindrical bole. Bark is thick and dark brown, deeply splitted longitudinally. Branches robust, red brown, from the second year, branches pointing downwards. Leaf-base scale shaped, caducous.

Leaves dark green, soft, usually with 3 needles in an ocreate fascicle at tip of a short twig. Needle 1520cm long, ocrea 1.2cm long, persistent. Fruit ovoid, 5-9cm long, often curved downwards, sometimes slightly distorted; scales of second-year fruit dense, umbo a little convex, sometimes acutely spinous. Two relief-lines (tranversal and longitudinal) across the middle of the scale surface. Seed winged, 1.5-2.5cm long 

Distribution and ecology:

Distributed in Lai Chau, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Quang Ninh provinces; usually growing in a pure stand or mixed with broad-leaved trees but can not form open pine forests type. A light-demanding tree, preferring high-rainfall climate, with a distinct dry and rainy season, air humidity not too low (under 70%). Frost-tolerant and can grow on poor soil condition as long as it is well-drained. Natural regeneration is strong on bare land. Flowering in April-May. Fruiting 2 years after. 

Uses

Timber soft and light, less durable than that of Pinus merkusii. Can be used for housing implements, boxes, matches, paper pulp and temporary electric poles. Resin good but not abundant, therefore not yet much exploited. 

Souce: VIET NAM FOREST TREES 1996