What is the difference between a Male and Female Pinecone?

Answer 1

Female pine cones:
1. are larger and are usually found singly towards the ends of the branches
2. have a sticky substance on the scales to catch the pollen
3. contain the ovule and eventually the seed

Male pine cones:
1. are smaller and are usually found in groups farther up on the branches
2. (no sticky substance)
3. produce the pollen

Answer 2

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What is the difference between a Male and Female Pinecone?

Answer 3

The male cone (microstrobilus or pollen cone) is structurally similar across all conifers, differing only in small ways (mostly in scale arrangement) from species to species. Extending out from a central axis are microsporophylls (modified leaves). Under each microsporophyll is one or several microsporangia (pollen sacs). The photo (right) shows mature male pine cones shortly after pollen release.

The female cone (megastrobilus, seed cone, or ovulate cone) contains ovules within, which when fertilized by pollen, become seeds. The female cone structure varies more markedly between the different conifer families, and is often crucial for the identification of many species of conifers, in as much as seeing the foliage alone may be insufficient to differentiate between closely related species.

Pinaceae cones
The members of the pine family (pines, spruces, firs, cedars, larches, etc.) have cones that are imbricate with scales overlapping each other like fish scales. These are the "archetypal" cone. The scales are spirally arranged in fibonacci number ratios.

The female cone has two types of scale: the bract scales, derived from a modified leaf, and the seed scales (or ovuliferous scales), one subtending each bract scale, derived from a highly modified branchlet. On the upper-side base of each seed scale are two ovules that develop into seeds after fertilisation by pollen grains. The bract scales develop first, and are conspicuous at the time of pollination; the seed scales develop later to enclose and protect the seeds, with the bract scales often not growing further. The scales open temporarily to receive pollen, then close during fertilisation and maturation, and then re-open again at maturity to allow the seed to escape. Maturation takes 6-8 months from pollination in most Pinaceae genera, but 12 months in cedars and 18-24 months (rarely more) in most pines. The cones open either by the seed scales flexing back when they dry out, or (in firs, cedars and golden larch) by the cones disintegrating with the seed scales falling off. The cones are conic, cylindrical or ovoid (egg-shaped), and small to very large, from 2-60 cm long and 1-20 cm broad.

Answer 4

In summer, the female pinecone should have little "pinenuts" between the individual cone segments. They are edible, though small. In Italy, these are the coveted pignoli..pine nuts.

Answer 5

Female pine cones are the ones that you are probably used to seeing. They are large and have woody scales. Male pine cones or Pollen cones are smaller, thinner and have papery scales. After pollination occurs, they usually deteriorate.

Answer 6

the female pine cone (megastrobilus) is bigger than the male pine cone (microstrobilus).

Answer 7

male has a little thing sticking out the top.