Larix potaninii var. macrocarpa / Big-cone Chinese larch

Larix potaninii var. macrocarpa, first described by Y. W. Law in 1975, is commonly known as Big-cone Chinese larch. It is a specific variety of Chinese larch that differs from the typical variety in the following ways:

  • Seed cones are much larger at 2 to 3.2 inches (5 to 8 cm) long, exceptionally to 3.6 inches (9 cm), and (2.5 - 3.5 cm) wide with 50 to 80 seed scales.
Distribution. This variety is native to China's southwestern Sichuan and northwestern Yunnan provinces.

Many authors treat this variety as synonymous with the type.

Larix potaninii var. marcrocarpa seed cone (right) compared with the type.
Photo by Michael P. Frankis

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