Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Great Basin bristlecone pine known as Methuselah has survived for approximately 4,800 years. This ancient tree stands in the White Mountains of California and is one of the oldest living organisms on Earth.
The genus Pinus first appeared during the Early Cretaceous period. The oldest verified fossil dates back to the Hauterivian-Barremian boundary between 130 and 125 million years ago.
Pinus contorta requires wildfires to maintain healthy populations of diverse ages. Pinus muricata needs fire to open its cones and release seeds, while Pinus radiata will not release its seeds without the trigger of fire.
Pine needles can persist for 1.5 to 40 years depending on the species. These needles form clusters called fascicles that contain between one and seven needles.
The northernmost species is Scots pine, reaching just north of 70 degrees North in Stabbursdalen National Park in Norway. This species defines the northern limit of the genus Pinus distribution.
The edible basidiomycete fungus Boletus pinophilus forms an ectomycorrhizal association with pines such as P. cembra, P. nigra, and Pinus sylvestris. This mutualistic relationship benefits both the tree and the fungus.