Tree-like pines on the Mshana peat bog in the Gorgany Mountains: a trace of Pinus uliginosa migration in the east Carpathians?

The taxonomic position of the population of tree-like, mostly polycormic individuals of pines from the Mshana peat bog in the Gorgany Mountains (East Carpathians, Ukraine) has been studied on the basis of the morphological characteristics of cones and needles, and anatomical characteristics of the needles. These features have been compared with the surrounding Pinus mugo population as well as P. uliginosa, P. mugo, P. sylvestris and P. uncinata from natural populations of the taxa. Tree-like individuals were found to have the most similar needles to P. uliginosa, but most similar cone characteristics to P. mugo. It was concluded, that the tree-like population has a relic character and can present the trace of the early migration of P. uliginosa from the West and its hybridisation with P. mugo.