366 REVISION OF THE GENUS PINUS. 
it does not enlarge much ; in most species it retains its erect position during that period, but ina few 
it becomes reversed soon after flowering and before the leaves are developed (P. sylvestris and 
Elliottii) ; in the allies of P. Strobus the slender peduncle bends downwards in the second sum- 
mer apparently by the weight of the swelling cone; but in the majority of the species the cones 
in that period assume a horizontal or somewhat declined, rarely a strictly recurved, position. 
Only in P. Banksiana it is as often curved upwards as horizontal. We continue to speak of 
subterminal and of lateral cones in regard to that part of the axis which bore the flowers, though 
the branch elongates in the next year, and the maturing cone, strictly speaking, thus always becomes 
lateral. 
The cones are, as the name might indicate, conical, from subglobose to oval or subcylindrical, 
mostly more or less symmetrical, often slightly oblique, and in some Californian and Mexican species 
(P. insignis, tuberculata, muricata, patula) so much so, that the scales on the inner and the outer side 
become very unequal; in the first named species especially we find the scales on the outer, convex, 
side much larger and tumid ; on the inner, more flat, side smaller and depressed, but singularly enough 
more fertile than the big outer ones. The color of the cones is from gray to light leather-brown, red- 
dish, or deep brown, with a dull or a glossy or almost varnished surface. They vary in length 
from 14 or 2 to 12 or even, in P. Lambertiana, to 18 inches. 
The phyllotactic arrangement of the scales is quite interesting, but not of much diagnostic [172] 
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. The long cones of P. Strobus, excelsa, and 
Ayacahuite, and the short ones of P. edulis and monophylla, show the 8; order of ere and the 3 
and 5 spirals are the most prominent ones. P. Lambertiana and Sabiniana have the 24 arrangement 
with the 8 and 13 or the 13 and 21 spirals most conspicuous. The intermediate en of 33 and 
21 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 Strobus ; in Pinaster it bears its 
point on the usually more thickened back, the wmbo, mostly armed with a prickle, weak or strong, 
early deciduous (in P. Balfouriana, insignis, Banksiana) or stout and persistent (in P. rigida, Teda, 
inops, pungens) ; in some species (P. Sabiniana, Coulteri) 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 seeds, 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 separate at the insertion of the peduncle, but in a few instances (F. 
ponderosa, P, australis) the peduncle and the lowest part of the axis together with a number of scales 
remain on the branch. In some species (P. Sabiniana, Coulteri) the open cones persist for several 
years on the tree, and in others they remain almost indefinitely, so that they are apt at last to be 
partially enclosed in later layers of wood. Such are P. Banksiana, inops, pungens, insignis, murieata, 
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 deciduous, proving that this character 
is not of great specific importance. The persistence of the cones may be connected with the 
peculiarity of some species to retain their seeds in temporarily or permanently closed cones, [173] 
when they are called serotinows. Such are southern forms of P. rigida, (var. serotina) and P. 
inops (var. elausa), rarely P. Teda; in some Californian (P. insignis, tuberculata, muricata) and 
Mexican species (P. patula, Teocote and Greggii) this is still more conspicuous. The seeds of such 
