GYMNOSPERMS : WHITE PINE. 



203 



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

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

 so different from anything which we have yet studied, and are 

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

 recognize them as belonging to this category. Indeed there is 

 great uncertainty regarding their origin. 



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

 in clusters as shown in fig. 251. Each compact, nearly cylindri- 



*'ig. 251- 

 Spray of white pine showing cluster of male cones just before the scattering of the pollen. 



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 



