Korean Pine

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Korean Pine
• Chinese pinenut
• Korean nut pine
• Korean white pine
• Manchurian white pine

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Apinus koraiensis
• Strobus koraiensis
• Pinus cembra var. mandschurica
• Pinus koraiensis subsp. prokoraiensis
• Pinus cembra var. excelsa
• Pinus prokoraiensis
• Pinus mandschurica

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Pinidae, it is classified under the order Pinales and the family Pinaceae. Ultimately, it is identified as a member of the genus Pinus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread distribution across several key regions of East Asia. In the Russian Far East, it can be found spanning the Amur, Khabarovsk, and Primorye regions. Its range extends southward into the Manchuria region of China. Additionally, the species is established within the island nation of Japan. Together, these locations define its primary geographical presence in the temperate forests of the East.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Pinus koraiensis is primarily defined by its existence in high-altitude mountainous regions, where it serves as a foundational species within temperate coniferous forests. It thrives in well-drained, often acidic soils characteristic of montane terrains, occupying specific elevational belts where moisture availability and temperature regimes are optimal for its growth. These mountainous habitats provide the necessary cool, moist climate and seasonal snow cover required to protect its root systems and support its life cycle. Within these ecosystems, the species plays a critical role in nutrient cycling and provides complex structural habitats for diverse mountain fauna, contributing significantly to the stability and biodiversity of the high-altitude forest community.

Habitat :

mountains

Life history

The life history of Pinus koraiensis is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the individual to persist across many years and establish a stable presence within its ecosystem. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated branches well above the ground, a structural adaptation that supports its substantial woody growth. Furthermore, it exhibits an evergreen deciduousness pattern, meaning it retains its needle-like foliage throughout the year rather than shedding it seasonally, which facilitates continuous photosynthetic potential whenever environmental conditions permit.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Pinus koraiensis is characterized by its robust growth form as a large, self-supporting tree, reaching a maximum plant height of approximately 40 m. As a woody species, it develops a substantial structural framework, and its life strategy is strictly terrestrial, lacking any aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic tendencies. The plant functions as an independent organism, neither acting as a climber (being strictly self-supporting rather than a liana or vine) nor serving as a parasite.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

40 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Pinus koraiensis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The foliage is structurally defined by a linear leaf form with entire margins, notably lacking any specialized leaf thorns or spines. In terms of its structural biomass, the plant exhibits a stem specific density (SSD) with a mean value of 440 mg/cm³, reflecting its wood density and internal cellular composition.

Leaf form :

linear

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

440 mg/cm³

Reproduction

The reproduction of Pinus koraienis is characterized by a complex dispersal strategy and specific seed morphological traits. The species exhibits a diverse dispersal syndrome, utilizing anemochorous, zoochorous, autochorous, hydrochorous, and unspecialized methods to ensure the distribution of its offspring across various environments. Regarding the physical characteristics of its seeds, there is significant variation in weight; the seed mass ranges from a minimum of 0.1577 g to a maximum of 1 g. On average, the seed mass is approximately 0.558548 g, reflecting a specialized investment in reproductive output tailored to its ecological niche.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Seed mass max:

1 g

Seed mass mean:

0.558548 g

Seed mass min:

0.1577 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Pinus koraiensis has 55 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include DEHYDROABIETIC ACID, SANDARACOPIMARIC ACID, (+)-(1S,2S,4R)-LIMONENE-1,2-DIOL, 12-Hydroxyabietic acid, 15-Hydroxy-7-oxodehydroabietic acid.

DEHYDROABIETIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

SANDARACOPIMARIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

(+)-(1S,2S,4R)-LIMONENE-1,2-DIOL

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

12-Hydroxyabietic acid

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

15-Hydroxy-7-oxodehydroabietic acid

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

15-hydroxy-abietic-acid

1. Dr. Duke

15-hydroxy-dehydroabietic-acid

1. Dr. Duke

15-hydroxydehydroabietic acid

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

ABIETIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Pinus koraiensis has 80 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Allergenic, Anesthetic, AntiHIV, AntiMDR, Antiaflatoxin.

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Anesthetic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiHIV

1. Dr. Duke

AntiMDR

1. Dr. Duke

Antiaflatoxin

1. Dr. Duke

Antiaggregant

1. Dr. Duke

Antiallergic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiangiogenic

1. Dr. Duke

Antibacillary

1. Dr. Duke

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke

Preparations

Pinus koraiensis has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include bark extracts.

Bark extracts

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)