Few flags depict conifers. One exception is the flag of Norfolk Island (Australia), which bears the silhouette of Araucaria heterophylla. Others are the flags of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) and the U.S. state of Maine (Pinus strobus).
Lately, mobile phone towers have imitating conifers. This one in the city of Oaxaca, Mexico is trying to look like an Araucaria columnaris [R. Van Pelt, 2005.02].
Topics
A Rationale for the Gymnosperm Database
Database Field Descriptions, in which I tackle such prickly questions as "what is a species?" and explain why the Database doesn't tell you where to find big trees.
Vegetative Reproduction in Conifers and Ginkgo. An ongoing compilation of which conifer species reproduce by epicormic budding, suckering, and layering.
Conifer Longevity. This is the transcript of a talk I gave on 2010.06.11 at the Pinetum Blijdenstein (Netherlands), at the release of Aljos Farjon's new book, A Handbook of the World's Conifers. It discusses the biological basis of longevity in conifers, and presents some of the oldest known trees.
Tree Age Determination, and Roster of the Ancients. This was reprinted by the native plant societies of British Columbia, Washington and Oregon.
Augering holes to fell the Discovery Tree, the first really big sequoia ever found, in 1852 at the Calaveras North Grove [from Tree Size Determination].
Tree Size Determination, and A Tale of Big Tree Hunting In California
Conifers of eastern North America
Conifers of western North America
Gymnosperms of Alta California
Conifer Hunting In Central Mexico (2005). This is mainly a travelogue with a lot of tree photos (mostly Pinus and Taxodium).
Conifer Hunting In Northern Mexico (2007). This another travelogue. Currently it has a strong emphasis on the motorcycle trip aspect of it - this piece was written for the local BMW riders club newsletter. I'm still working on the conifer-lover's version.
PDF file: Forest Dynamics In A Forest-Tundra Ecotone, Medicine Bow Mountains, Wyoming. This is the text of my 1993 dissertation, which people sometimes request copies of. Link opens in a new window.
Journal kept by David Douglas during his travels in North America 1823—1827. This is the 1914 publication of one of the great plant-hunting accounts, by the man who discovered or described many of the great conifers of Washington, Oregon, and California. Right-click HERE to download a copy (PDF, 25 MB).
Biographical sketch for George Engelmann, New World botanist
Biographical sketch for Thomas Kirk, New Zealand botanist
NEW Why Do Trees Form Spiral Grain?
Anas pseudarboris, the Christmas Tree
Just for fun.
Conifers in Human Culture. This link will take you offsite to a chapter from an FAO report on nonwood forest products. Send me an email if the link ever goes dead and I'll replace it with an archive copy of the file.
Phytophthora, one of the deadliest pathogens in the conifer world.
White Pine blister rust, one of the deadliest pathogens in the pine world.
Recent Notes on the Database. This is the 'news' page, but it's updated quite sporadically.
Review of the Gymnosperm Literature
Online Interview with Mary Townsend, editor of Amazing Trees, a webzine
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Copyright 2013 The Gymnosperm Database
Edited by Christopher J. Earle
About Chris Earle
Last Modified 2013-02-15
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