Forest rangers in Huizhou's Shuidongbei Forest Farm have discovered a rare pine species never before recorded in Guangdong: the Hainan five-needle pine (Pinus fenzeliana). This discovery extends the tree's known range into the Pearl River Delta for the first time.
The finding started when rangers spotted unusual trees during patrols. Unlike common local pines with twin-needle bundles, these had clusters of five needles per bundle. Experts from Sun Yat-sen University collected samples and confirmed through DNA tests that it was the Hainan five-needle pine, a Chinese native previously seen only in Hainan, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan.
About 100 trees thrive here at 570 meters above sea level, lower than typical for this species. Some stand over 10 meters tall with trunks wider than 40 cm, suggesting they're over a century old. With another small group found in Qingyuan's Yangmei Forest Farm, fewer than 200 exist across Guangdong, making them critically endangered.
The finding adds a rare member to Huizhou's pine family, bringing the local pine species count to 33. It also expands our understanding of how far this pine spreads across China.
Forest rangers at Shuidongbei have begun patrols, installed anti-logging signs, and started educating nearby communities about the pine's importance. "We're protecting these trees from damage while exploring ways to grow more," said technician Huang Xiaozhou.
Author | Feng Huiting
Editor | Wei Shen, James Campion, Shen He
