General Guide to the Pine Family

A dichotomous key to help identify genera of Pinaceae (the pine family).

1. Female cone has long, 3-pointed bract............................................................... Pseudotsuga
2. Female cone does not have long, 3-pointed bract............................................ 2
3. Shoots are strongly dimorphic.............................................................................. 3
4. Shoots are not strongly dimorphic........................................................................7
5. Short shoots disposable.......................................................................................... Pinus
6. Short shoots not disposable.................................................................................. 4
7. Male cones in umbels............................................................................................. Pseudolarix
8. Male cones not in umbels...................................................................................... 5
9. Female cone disintegrates at maturity (scales soft and easily broken)...... Cedrus
10. Female cone does not disintegrate (scales woody and tough)..................... 6
11. Upright female cones............................................................................................... Larix
12. Hanging female cones.............................................................................................. Cathaya
13. Males cones in umbels............................................................................................. 8
14. Male cones not in umbels........................................................................................ 9
15. Female cone smaller (~3-4 cm) and round........................................................ Nothotsuga
16. Female cone larger (~8-18 cm) and ovoid.......................................................... Keteleeria
17. Upright female cones.............................................................................................. Abies
18. Hanging female cones............................................................................................. 10
19. Foliage is mostly planar......................................................................................... Tsuga
20. Foliage is "3D" (leaves arranged radially)......................................................... Picea
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