Cheed Chil Pinus roxburghii It is a tall tree, with grey bark found between 1000-2000m. Branches whorled, dimorphic. Leaves, 10-20 cm long in fascicles of 5, bluish to grayish-green, drooping. Seeds winged February-April Frequently, found in association with Picea smithiana in all the valleys of Chanju and Charda Uses The pine is one of the most Valuable timber tree in the economy of the area. The wood furnishes the best boards, which are made into doors, floors, windows, boxes etc. The needles are added to give consistency to mud used in plastering. And needles are also used as beds in the cattle shed during winter months. 1
Devdar Deodar Cedrus deodara It is a large evergreen tree found between 1800-3000m altitude. Branches are brown-reddish. Cones are solitary, erect, ovoid, dark brown. Leaves are 2.5-4 cm long, dark green or bluish green in dense clusters or solitary, rigid, leathery, three sided, and sharp-pointed. Male and female cones are on the same tree. October Common in Temperate slopes in all the valleys 2
Kail Kail Pinus wallichiana It is a tall tree found between 1800-3000m. Bark is Smooth, hallowed, fissured on old tree.leaves 10-15cm long, in bundles of 5, bluish or grayish-green in colour, drooping except when quite young, sheath of bud scales deciduous. April-June It forms pure and mixed patches with Picea and Abies in all the valleys of Chanju and Charda Uses The local people collect the cones for some medicine, and the wood takes smooth finish so used for ceiling of roofs and as building timber in the absence of deodar etc., 3
Rai Rai Picea smithiana It is a large tree found between 2100-3600m. Branches whorled, horizontal, slightly curved. Leaves 3-4.5 cm long, spirally arranged all round the branches, needle like, and stiff, pungent. Flowers monoceious. April-May Frequently, found in association with Pinus wallichiana in all the valleys of Chanju and Charda 4
Taxus Uses Kailu, Rakhal, The Himalayan Yew Taxus wallichiana Taxaceae It is a medium sized tree found between 2100-3200m. Bark thin, dark reddish-gray; branches horizontal, wide spread. June October The Himalayan Yew is a species of yew, native to the Himalaya from Afghanistan east to western Yunnan in south western China, at altitudes from 2,000 3,500 m. It is common as undergrowth in Abies forest, makes pure patches in all the valleys of Chanju and Charda The leaves contain an alkaloid known as Taxol that is now supposed to cure the dreaded disease cancer. The fleshy fruits of Taxus wallichiana are eaten by wild animals, black bears and common langurs and even eaten by human beings. The white crystalline alkaloid (Taxine powder) is obtained from the seeds, it is poisonous in nature. Local people use the bark as an alternative to tea. The wood is used for cabinet making, furniture, poles and others decorative statues. 5
Tosh Tosh Abies spectabilis It is a large evergreen tree found between 2800-3600m. Young shoots clothed with brown hairs. Leaves spreading in all the directions and densely covering the twigs when viewed from above. Cones are dark purple. April-May Common in the sub-alpine and alpine zones of Chanju and Charda 6
Tosh Abies pindrow It is a large tree found between 2100-3300m with smooth hairs on the stem. Bark dark grey, rough with deep vertical furrows on old stem, branches glabrous, Leaves 4-7 cm long. Flattened, shining, dark green above with two faint silvery lines beneath, tip notched. Male and female cones are on the same tree. April-May Usually forming a mixed forest with Picea smithiana in the temperate belt in all the valleys of Chanju and Charda Use Used in some of the local medicines. 7
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