Larix gmelinii var. principis-rupprechtii, synonym Larix principis-rupprechtii, Prince Rupprecht's larch, is a variety of conifer in the larch genus Larix. It is native to altitudes of 1400âÂÂ2800 m in the Wutai Shan mountains west of Beijing in the northern Chinese provinces of Shanxi and Hebei, separated from typical L. gmelinii by about 1000 km. It is named after Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria, who funded Mayr's work.
It is a tree growing to 30âÂÂ35 m tall, with grey-brown bark. Like other larches, the leaves are deciduous; they are up to 3.5 cm long. The cones are ovoid, 2âÂÂ4 cm long, with 26âÂÂ45 scales, significantly larger than typical L. gmelinii (cones 1âÂÂ2 cm, rarely 3 cm, long, with 14âÂÂ30 scales).
Its status is disputed; it is accepted as a distinct species by Rushforth and many Chinese botanists; but treated as a variety of L. gmelinii by POWO and Farjon despite its disjunct distribution and substantially larger cones with more scales. It is also less cold-tolerant than L. gmelinii, being rated at USDA hardiness zone 4, rather than the zone 0âÂÂ1 of typical L. gmelinii, and is also less tolerant of wet soils.
It has been hybridised in cultivation with Japanese larch; the hybrids showing marked heterosis with faster growth than either parent.