Family: Pinaceae pinaceae Larch genus Larix mill.
Morphological characteristics: deciduous trees. The bark is dark brown and flaky; the annual branches are pale yellowish brown, with white powder, and brown hairs when young; the short branches are 2 to 5 mm in diameter, and the ring marks formed by the leaf pillows over the years are particularly obvious; the top buds are purple-brown. The leaves grow spiraling on long branches and clustering on short branches; the leaves are inverted lanceolate strips, 1.5 to 3.5 cm long and 1 to 2 mm wide, with stomatal lines on both sides. The cones are ovate or oval-ovate, 2 to 3.5 cm long and 1.8 to 2 .8cm in diameter; species scales 46 to 65, square ovate or ovate oblong, the upper edge is wavy, significantly curved outwards, the back is often brown nodular protrusions or short coarse hairs; the bracts are purple-red, the apex is 3 lobes, and the middle rib is elongated and the tail tip is not exposed. The seeds are inverted oval in shape, and the wings are 1.1 to 1.4 cm long. The flowering period is from April to May, and the cones ripen in October.
Habitat distribution: Native to Japan. There are introduced species in the South Tianmen Management Area and Yaoxiang.
Economic uses: Wood can be used for housing construction, engineering, electric poles, vehicles and ships and wood fiber industrial raw materials, etc., and the bark can be lifted with quercetin.
Contributed by: Forest Defense Station
Editor: Li Xiaolu, Rong Media Center, Taishan Mountain Scenic Area
Review: Taishan Mountain Scenic Area Rong Media Center Fan Hongliang