Larix decidua description

Bark on a 50 cm dbh ornamental tree, Seattle (USA) [C.J. Earle, Mar-1999].

Range of Larix decidua (8).

Larix decidua Miller

Common Names

European larch; Gemeine Lärche; Mélèze d'Europe (1). Var. polonica: Larice, zada [Polish].

Taxonomic notes

Syn: Pinus larix L.; Larix europaea Lam. & DC.; L. sudetica Domin (1). Two varieties:

(1) Larix decidua var. polonica (Racib.) Ostenf. & Syrach Larsen (syn: L. polonica Racib.; L. decidua ssp. polonica (Racib.) Domin) (1).

(2) Larix decidua var. carpatica Domin (syn: L. carpatica Domin) (1).

Description

See (1).

Range

SE France, Switzerland, N Italy, S Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia and NW Yugoslavia in the Alps and the Carpathian Mountains at (600-)1000-2200(-2500) m (1).

Variety carpatica is in the E Carpathian Mountains and in the NW Ukraine (1).

Big Tree

A specimen 271 cm dbh and 30 m tall is known in the Ulten Valley, Saint Nicholas, Italy (4). There is also a record of a specimen 261 cm dbh and 28 m tall in Santa Geltrude in the Trentino Alto, Ultimo, BZ, Italy (5). A tree 95 cm dbh and 46 m tall is recorded for Glenlee Park, Dumfries and Galloway, UK (6).

Oldest

One tree-ring collection, presumably based on living-tree material, covers 986 years (7).

Dendrochronology

Some particularly interesting work involving the ecophysiology of ring development has been done recently (3).

Ethnobotany

An important timber tree in Europe, where it has been planted extensively as a crop. It is grown in North America as an ornamental (2).

Observations

Remarks

Var. polonica is listed as rare on the 1996 IUCN Red List (available at various places online; use your search engine).

Citations

(1) Farjon 1990.
(2) "Larch," Encarta 97.
(3) Oleksyn & Fritts 1986.
(4) International Dendrology Society. Year Book 1984.
(5) CORPO FORESTALE DELLA STATO, a listing of big trees in Italy.
(6) Mitchell et al. 1990.
(7) International Tree-Ring Data Bank, chronology FRAN010, limiting dates 988-1974.
(8) Atlas Florae Europaeae 1998.