3. HELLOFRIENDS , WELCOME !!!!
TODAY WE , UPON STARTING THE LESSON –
DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS ARE GOING TO
SEE ABOUT ‘ THE GREAT BRISTLE CONE PINE ‘ from
the kingdom PLANTAE
4. A SHORT INTRO TO BRISTLE CONE
PINE { SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION }
5. BRISTLE CONE
PINE…
The bristlecone pines are one of the world’s oldest living
organisms the oldest known living tree is called
‘Methuselah’ and has been dated at a mighty 4,789
years of age These ancient trees have a fittingly
gnarled and stunted appearance, especially those found
at high altitudes, and have reddish-brown bark with
deep fissures The green pine needles give the twisted
branches a bottle-brush appearance. The name
bristlecone pine refers to the dark purple female cones
that bear incurved prickles on their surface
The bristlecone pines
6. BRISTLE CONE PINE…
Clone-creating plant species like Quaking Aspen live to be much older if you age
their root systems. Bristlecones are only found in six states, Utah included.
The oldest LIVING tree is called "Methuselah" and is 4,765 years old. This
tree is nearly 1,000 years older than any other bristlecone alive today. It lives
in a secret location in the White Mountain range of eastern California. The
oldest known tree named "Prometheus" was cut down in 1964 by a doctoral
student. He was studying climate change as expressed in receding glaciers
whose historic size could be measured by influence on the growth rings of
nearby ancient bristlecones. This happened in what is now known as Great Basin
National Park. The tree was later confirmed to be almost 4,900 years old.
Bristle cones have 5 needles per fascicle, and can grow to be 40-60 feet in
height (under most favorable conditions.) Often they will die in portions. As the
roots become exposed they will dry out and die. The tree directly connected
above those roots will eventually die as well. The remainder of the tree will
continue to live. This is among the causes that create the twisted tortured look
of the trees. It also may prompt the question "why do they take so long to
die?" as opposed to "why do they live so long?"
Bristlecone pine is also known as "Wind Timber", "Hickory Pine", "Krummholz"
and "Foxtail Pine." It is a member of the group of pines known as foxtail pines,
because of the shape of the branches and the way the needles stay attached
all the way up the limb. The limbs look like small foxtails.
In recent decades, two species of bristlecone have been distinguished. Pinus
longaeva is called the Great Basin Bristlecone. Pinus aristata is the Rocky
Mountain Bristlecone. The biological distinction is based on the numbers of resin
ducts per needle, which are difficult to see even with a powerful hand lens.
