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Papershell Pinyon

Pinus remota

Also called Texas Pinyon Pine, Nut Pine, Texas Pinyon

Papershell Pinyon
Photo: annikaml, CC BY 4.0
Family
Pinaceae (Pine family)
Grows as
Tree
Native range
SW. Texas to NE. Mexico
Climate
subtropical

About

Pinus remota, commonly known as the Texas pinyon or papershell pinyon, is a pine in the pinyon pine group, native to southwestern Texas and northeastern Mexico. It can be distinguished from other pinyon species by its thin-walled seeds, which made it especially attractive as a food to Indians and Mexicans living where it grew. Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca noted that the papershell pinon was an important food for the Indians in 1536.

Where it grows

The range is in western Texas, United States, on the south edge of the Edwards Plateau and the hills between Fort Stockton and Presidio, and in northeastern Mexico, mainly in Coahuila but also just into Chihuahua and Nuevo León. It occurs at low to moderate altitudes, from 450–700 m on the Edwards Plateau and from 1200–1800 m in the rest of its range. It is scarce, with small, scattered populations usually on dry, rocky sites and arroyos where bare rock lowers the likelihood of wildfire spreading easily.

Uses

The edible seeds are occasionally collected like those of other pinyons, and sold as pine nuts. However, in its barren, dry habitat, infrequent and small crops are normal, reducing its economic value. It is occasionally planted as an ornamental tree, where its remarkable tolerance of drought and even semi-desert conditions makes it valuable in hot, dry areas.

Other Pinus plants

Whitebark Pine · Amami Pine · Rocky Mountains Bristlecone Pine · Arizona Pine · Pinus armandii var. mastersiana · Chinese White Pine · Pinus arunachalensis · Knobcone pine · Mexican White Pine · Foxtail Pine · Jack pine · Bhutan Pine

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Pinus remota by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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