Parry Pinyon

Description

Pinus quadrifolia is a small to medium size tree, reaching 8 metres (26 ft) to 15 metres (49 ft) tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 40 centimetres (16 in), rarely more. The bark is thick, rough and scaly. The leaves ('needles') are in fascicles of 4-5, moderately stout, 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in)-5.5 centimetres (2.2 in) long; glossy dark green with no stomata on the outer face, and a dense bright white band of stomata on the inner surfaces. The cones are globose, 4 centimetres (1.6 in)-5.5 centimetres (2.2 in) long and broad when closed, green at first, ripening yellow to orange-buff when 18-20 months old, with only a small number of thick scales, with typically 5-10 fertile scales.