cone

The term 'cone' generally refers to an infructescence with sessile fruits at a broadened woody main axis (e. g. in Alnus – Alder). Especially, the term 'cone' is applied to female inflorescences and seed clusters, respectively, in Gymnosperms: in the axil of the bract-scale (corresponding to a supporting-leaf) a reduced flower is inserted. The flower consists only of a seed-scale (corresponding to a megasporophyll) and mostly 2 ovules. Rarer, the term 'cone' is used to describe the morphology of the male flowers of Gymnosperms.


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