Plant Listings

Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis (Griseb.) W. H. Barrett & Golfari

Common Names: Bahamian Pine, Caribbean Pine, Pine

Family: Pinaceae

Habit: Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis grows as a tree to 30 meters in height and 75 centimeters in diameter. The trunk largely unbranched forming a main trunk and a crown. The bark dark reddish brown flaking off in plates. The leaves are needles are produced in fascicles of 2 or 3 and are to 25 cm in length.

The monoecious reproductive structures are cones. The pendulous microsporangiate cones are solitary or in groups, to 4 cm in length and 1 cm in diameter arising from the base of new shoots. There are 15 - 20 series plates underneath which are the microsporagium. The megasporangiate cones are solitary, to 15 cm in length and 4 cm in diameter. There are series of scales underneath the ovules are located, quad-, pent-, or hexangular in outline. The scales are 2-4 millimeters thick with a central protruding bump and spine. The seeds are samaras.

Habitat: Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis grows in Pine Woodlands.

Distribution in Bahamas/Globally: Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis occurs throughout the northern Bahamian Archipelago on Abaco, Andros, Grand Bahama, and New Providence as well as on North and Middle Caicos and Pine Cay in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The variety is endemic to the archipelago.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis is not used medicinally or culturally in the Bahamas. It was however extensively logged throughout the early and mid 20th century for lumber and to make cardboard pulp for shipping for the Owens Illinois glass company