39 ^ 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. VI, No. 1, 
AN ABNORMAL CONE OF PINUS LARICIO. ’ 
Walter. Fischer. 
It has been customary to try to explain the homology of the 
ovuliferous scale in the Conifers by the study of monstrosities. 
So the chance discovery on May 12 of a cone of Pinus laricio 
which was both carpellate and staminate led the writer to look 
up again the numerous theories which have been advanced to 
explain this structure. 
Fig. I. — 1. The abnormal cone. 2. Under side of carpel showing 
carpellate bract and ovuliferous scale. 3. Upper side of same. 4. Under 
side of stamen. 
The cone was one of two growing in the normal position of 
the staminate cone and consisted of two well marked zones, the 
lower or staminate part making up about four-fifths and the 
upper or carpellate part making up about one-fifth of the entire 
cone. The other cone was staminate only. As a clo.ser examina- 
tion showed that lioth kinds of sporophylls were perfectly nor- 
mal, their description will correspond to that of those on other 
cones. The carpellate part bore bracts on the upper sides of 
which were the ovuliferous scales bearing the ovules or mega- 
sporangia. The staminate part of the cone bore but one kind of 
scales, the stamens or microsporophylls bearing the microspo- 
rangia on the under side. 
