Cone | plant anatomy | Britannica (original) (raw)

Coulter pine Pinecone of a Coulter pine (Pinus coulteri). Known colloquially as “widow-makers,” these cones are the most massive of any pine species and can weigh up to 5 kg (11 pounds).

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Also known as: strobilus

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Wind pollinationWindblown pollen from the male cone of a lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta).

cone, in botany, mass of scales or bracts, usually ovate in shape, containing the reproductive organs of certain nonflowering plants. The cone, a distinguishing feature of pines and other conifers, is also found on all gymnosperms, on some club mosses, and on horsetails.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.