298 



MORPHOLOGY. 



610. Spore-bearing leaves of the pine. — The two kinds of 

 spore-bearing leaves of the pine, and tlieir close relatives, are 

 so different from an3'thing which we have yet studied, and are 

 so unlike the green leaves of the pine, that wc would scarcely 

 recognize them as belonging to this category. Indeed there is 

 great uncertainty regarding their origin. 



611. Male cones, or male flowers. — The male cones are borne 

 in clusters as shown in fig. 339. Each compact, nearly cylindri- 



Spray oE wliittj pine sliuvviiig clusttjr u[ male tones just before the scattering of tile polle- 



cal, or conical mass is termed a cone, or flower, and each arises 

 in place of a long lateral branch. One of these cones is shown 



