Two
varieties are usually accepted; var.
parviflora in southern Japan, and var.
pentaphylla (Mayr) A.Henry in northern Japan. The second variety was first described as a separate species
Pinus pentaphylla by
Heinrich Mayr in 1890, but in reducing it to the rank of variety in 1910,
Augustine Henry pointed out that the differences cited by Mayr between the two were minimal and inconsistent, with much overlap. At higher altitudes in northern Japan, it can occur with the related high altutude species
Pinus pumila, and sometimes produces
hybrids with it; these are known as
Pinus × hakkodensis Makino, named after the
Hakkōda Mountains where it was first found. ==Uses==