12 TRANS. ST. LOUIS ACAD. SCIENCE. [172 
but not of much diagnostic importance; nevertheless it will be 
necessary in the description of the different species to mention it, 
and also to state the number of the more prominent secondary 
spirals, two of which, inclining in opposite directions, are always 
the most conspicuous. e long cones of P. Strobus, excelsa and 
S: donemired and the short ones of P. edulis and monophylla, show the 
z's order of scales, and the 3 and 5 spirals are the most prominent 
ones. P. Lambertiana and Sabiniana have the 3+ arrangement with 
the 8 and 13 or the 13 and 21 spirals radat’ Aehapietions. The 
intermediate orders of $3 and 3} are the most common ones; 
abnormal orders are extremely rare. 
The cone scales furnish us the most valuable characters for the 
classification of the species. Their exposed part, not covered by 
adjoining scales and more or less thickened, has been called the 
apophysis ; it is rather depressed and terminates in a blunt point 
in the section S/rodus ; in FPinaster it bears its point on the usually 
more thickened back, the wméo, mostly armed with a prickle, 
weak or strong, early deciduous (in 2. Balfouriana, insignis, Bank- 
siana) or stout and persistent (in P. rigida, Teda, inops, pungens ) ; 
in some species (P. Sabiniana, Coultert) it becomes a thick,-long, 
and often curved or twisted spur. 
The bracts which support the scales remain concealed, but 
become greatly enlarged and mostly thickened and corky, and 
help to form lodges for the — which are enclosed between 
them and the scales. 
‘The cones generally open their scales soon after maturity, drop 
their seeds, and fall off soon afterwards ; in most cases they sepa- 
rate at the insertion of the peduncle, but in a few instances (P. 
ehadge P. australis) the peduncle and the lowest part of the 
xis toge with a number of scales remain on the branch. In 
some cone (P. Sabiniana, Coulter?) the open cones persist for 
several years on the tree, and in others they remain almost indefi- 
nitely, so that they are apt at last to be partially enclosed in later 
layers of wood. Such are P. Banksiana, inops, pungens, 
insignis, muricata, rigida, and some Mexican species. ' Most 
specimens of Pinus contorta retain their cones in this manner, 
while those of the higher sierras of California are early decidu- 
ous, proving that this character is not of great specific impor- 
tance. The persistence of the cones may be connected with the 
