Measure the length of the bump and needle, write down the result. Practical work "The structure of male and female cones, pollen and seeds of pine

Everyone has probably seen what a pine cone looks like. Brown, woody, larger walnut. Under the old pines you can see a lot of dry, loose cones with protruding scales.

There are no flowers - it never blooms. But she has strobiles: male - microstrobils and female - megastrobils. Cones are called infructescences with seeds collected in them.

The life of a pine cone begins with the formation of a small, millet-sized, red ball. This is what a pine germ looks like when it is only a few days old. Such an embryo appears at the end of spring, when young shoots begin to form on the tree from the buds. At first, these shoots do not yet have pine needles (needles). Instead of them, one can see peculiar short stumps, which are whitish processes pointed at the ends. At the top of this shoot is a small bump. In some cases there are 2 of them. Finding such a bump is extremely difficult - it is barely noticeable. But even if they notice it, they hardly guess what it is. It never occurs to anyone that this little germ is the big bump in the future.

How young pine cones develop

During the summer, the Scotch pine cone grows and by autumn it already becomes green, reaches the size of a pea. In this stage, it remains throughout the winter. With the onset of spring, its development continues further. Fertility becomes much larger. The size of a pine cone at this time is 2.5-7 cm. And at the end of summer it reaches its adult size (8-10 cm in length and 3-4 cm in width). By the next winter, it becomes brown, quite mature, but does not open. Her scales are also tightly pressed, so the seeds cannot yet get enough sleep. They can do this only on their third spring, the snow has already melted, and the days have become dry and sunny. The seedlings begin to dry out, as a result of which their scales protrude and the winged seeds fly out into the wild.

Scotch pine cones

The tree begins to bear fruit by the age of 15-30. You can notice this by the appearance of small reddish bumps. These are the female cones of Scotch pine. Such a bump consists of a rod (axis) with scales located on it. On them lie unprotected, one might say, naked (hence the name "gymnosperms") ovules in which eggs are formed.

Male and female pine cones

If the female cones are at the top of the young shoot, then the male ones are at the base. Unlike female, male pine cones are smaller, oval, yellow in color and concentrated in close groups.

The structure of male pine cones: the main axis with scales located on it. The underside of each scale has 2 pollen sacs. Pollen matures in these sacs, where sperm are later formed - male germ cells. After fertilization, the male seed soon dies off.

As you know, fertilization occurs only a year after the pollen from the male cone falls on the female. During all this time, the pollen that fell on the ovules was at rest. And only a year later, it germinates, forming a pollen tube that carries sperm to the archegonia. As a result, one merges with the egg. The embryo then develops from the zygote. And the ovules turn into seeds. The embryo itself is located in the tissue of the female gametophyte, where by this time a lot of nutrients. This tissue is also called the primary endosperm. The seed is covered with a hard peel, under which there is a thin film. The film and peel are formed from the tissue of the ovule. They are diploid. The endosperm, as the vegetative component of the gametophyte, is haploid, and the embryo is diploid. At the end of the next winter, a mature female cone will turn brown and reach 4-6 cm.

A mature pine cone is ovoid-conical in shape. It has a ripened seed with a transparent wing. With the spreading of the scales of the female cone, it becomes clear that the seeds are located in pairs on top of the scales. Thickenings are clearly visible on the scales gray color- original diamond-shaped shields with 4-6 faces that are bent down. Each seed has a wing that is needed to be carried by the wind.

Size, structure, density of pine cones and their difference from spruce, larch

It turns out that not every person will be able to distinguish cones from different ones. It would seem that they should be the same, but in fact all infructescences coniferous trees differ from each other.

Pine seedlings hanging, located on a short handle, one or more pieces. Their shape is cylindrical. 8-10 cm long, 3-4 cm wide. The scales are hard, woody. Apophyses have a vaulted-convex shape. At the top is a convex blunt navel.

The spruce cone is formed by covering scales, which are arranged spirally, in their axils there are 2 ovules. The shape is oblong-cylindrical, pointed. A mature cone is hanging, dry, woody or leathery. Length - up to 15 cm, width 3-4 cm.

The infructescence of larch is round, ovoid, it can be almost cylindrical. Unlike pine, its seed is firmly attached to the wing.

In addition to the shape and structure, the difference between pine cones and, as well as larch, lies in their maturation. If pine cones are “ready” only in the second year, then spruce and larches ripen in the year of flowering.

They also differ in density. Pine is heavier than spruce. Yes, bucket. fir cones weighs about 5 kg, then pine 5-7 kg. On average, the density of a pine cone is about 600 kg/m3.

When to collect pine cones?

When to collect pine cones depends on the purpose of the collection. In the spring, after fertilization, the male cone dies, as well as the female "copies" of the second year of life, which released the seeds. Such "spread" can be collected throughout the summer. However, except for children's crafts and for decorative purposes, they can not be used anywhere else. Although in recent times quite often there are ads with sales of pine cones ... bags. It turns out that they are used in landscape gardening for mulching trees, all of the same coniferous forms. By the way, in the old days samovars were heated with pine cones.

But there is more useful application cones. AT traditional medicine young pine cones have been used for a long time. The resin contained in them makes the cones effective for the treatment of colds, bronchitis, joint diseases and even stroke. For these purposes, they cook honey, jam, tinctures, balms.

For medical purposes, small, resinous, green cones are used. For jam, you need to take those bumps that are easily pierced with a fingernail or cut with a knife. As a rule, their length reaches 1-4 cm. You can start collecting them from mid-May and the entire first decade of June. From such young green cones, honey turns out to be a surprisingly beautiful raspberry color. It has almost the same consistency as natural. If the spring is cold and late, with prolonged frosts and long snowmelt, then the collection of cones can be slightly extended. Conversely, with a warm spring, it is better to finish it in early June.

Application of pine cones: ideas and photos

As you know, mulching is necessary to restore the unprotected soil surface, as well as to hide its defects. Recently, pine cones can be seen very often under the trees in the garden. The advantage of such mulching is not only the naturalness of the material, but also high decorative and aesthetic characteristics. In addition, natural natural material increases the physico-chemical parameters of the upper soil layer, and also activates the development of microorganisms useful for trees. Due to its porous structure, this mulch maintains an optimal level of humidity even during dry periods. Pine cones, as a natural material, provide the necessary temperature regime: in winter they protect the soil from hypothermia, and in summer time- from negative solar exposure and overheating. Mulching with pine material evens out daily temperature fluctuations in autumn and spring, and also delays the growth of weeds. The soil under such material breathes, passes

water and air. Natural mulch regulates the acidity of the soil, enriches it with oxygen.

In general, cone mulch conifers Trees have a lot of useful properties:

• Aesthetically beautiful appearance site;
• Resistant to decay and mold formation;
• Since pines do not contain allergens, the mulching material is also hypoallergenic;
• Mulch has antibacterial properties: woodworms do not live in it. Therefore, there is no need to chemically treat the mulching material, as it is necessary to do when mulching with materials of other tree species;
• Contains antioxidants - substances that contribute to the body's fight against aging and the occurrence of various kinds of diseases, which is especially characteristic in conditions of radiation, stress and polluted environment;
• Contains natural flavonoids. Getting into Airways, these substances prevent the occurrence of colds and viral diseases.

In addition to mulching and medicinal uses, pine cones can serve as an amazing material for room design, crafts, and more.

A photo of pine cones clearly demonstrates their singularity and beauty. It is necessary to use only a little imagination and pine "spread" will take its rightful place in the house, garden, in the country. You can use them most different ways. You can even divide into separate small petals and make some kind of composition. And you can use the cones as a whole. At the same time, it is not at all necessary that it should be a New Year's composition. There are many options, the possibilities can only be limited by the imagination.

They can decorate candlesticks, mirrors, paintings, make panels and other compositions. It is better to attach cone specimens with reliable glue, since the material is quite specific. You can simply cover the bumps with paint or "silver". That's how you get amazing new Year decoration. The same specimens look great in the garden as decorations. And sometimes they simply heat fireplaces in country houses.

The very name "gymnosperms" speaks of the insecurity of the seed of these plants. Scientists believe that the gymnosperms originated from ancient extinct heterospore seed ferns, the prints of which are found in the deep layers of the earth's crust. Gymnosperms are the most ancient group of seed plants. They appeared on Earth over 350 million years ago, long before the emergence of angiosperms. This was preceded by several important evolutionary events that occurred during the Devonian period: heterogeneity arose, cambium and tree forms appeared. The flourishing of the gymnosperm flora dates back to the end of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic. It was the era of mountain building, when the continents rose, and the climate became drier. From the middle Cretaceous gymnosperms began to be replaced by flowering plants.

What to do. Find male cones on a pine branch (they are yellow in color).

What to do. Find pollen.

What to do. Look at the pollen under a microscope.

What to watch. Look for air bubbles on the sides of the dust particles (they allow the pollen to stay in the air).

What to do. Examine the appearance of the female cone of the first year (it has a reddish color).

What to do. Consider a mature female cone. Carefully bend one scale with tweezers and remove the seed lying on it.

What to do. Consider a seed. Find a wing (with its help, the seeds are carried by the wind over long distances).

The cone consists of a central axis on which cover scales sit. In the axils of the covering scales are the seed scales. Seeds are formed from ovules, or ovules, which are located on the upper side of the seed scales. In the evolution of conifers, a parallel process of gradual fusion of covering and seed scales (more precisely, scaly megastrobilus) is observed, which ultimately leads to the formation of "simple and continuous" scales, which is often called the "fertile complex". As the cones mature, the degree of woodiness increases. In some conifers, peculiar thickenings form at the ends of the seed scales. In pines, this thickening is called a shield, in the center of which or at the end is a tubercle, called the navel. In junipers, the seed scales of mature cones remain fleshy, and the cones are called cone berries, since it is not the ovary that takes part in their formation, as in the formation of a berry in angiosperms, but the seed scales of a shortened shoot, i.e., cones.

In terms of structure, shape and size of cones, conifers (see:) differ significantly from each other. These features are called systematic, by which it is possible to determine not only groups of species according to generic complexes, but also individual species.

12.1. The key to identifying conifers by cones

Seed flakes arranged oppositely 11

2. Cones crumble after ripening 3

Cones open after ripening 5

3. Cones ripen in the autumn of the first year and crumble 4

Cones ripen in the 2nd or 3rd year, crumble during autumn and winter. Numerous seed scales are spirally arranged, imbricately appressed, with 2 seed pits at the base, cover scales are very small, invisible from the outside. Cones solitary, erect, barrel-shaped or ovoid-elongated.

Himalayan cedar - Gedrus deodara L.

Cones are round-ovate, 30 - 40 mm long, 40 - 50 mm wide, reddish-brown; seed scales 2-3 cm long, loosely set on the axis, cordate-lanceolate, with a detached blunt or bipartite apex; cover scales rounded-lanceolate, pointed, finely serrated along the edge, much shorter than the seed scales, protruding at the base of the cones.

Chinese false larch, or Kempfera, -Pseudolarix Kaempferi Gord.

5. Seed scales with thickenings at the ends 6

Seed scales without thickening at the ends 8

6. Scutellum smooth, diamond-shaped or triangular in shape, with a tubercle or umbilicus, in the center or at the end.

Pine - Pinus L.

Wrinkled shield 7

7. Seed flakes have a keeled base, thyroid-widened at the top, scutes elongated transversely outside, narrowly rhombic, up to 2 cm wide and 0.8 cm high, strongly wrinkled with a weak transverse keel, depressed in the middle and bearing a point. Cones ripen in the second year, ovoid, 5 - 8 cm long and 3 - 4.5 cm in diameter, remain green until the seeds ripen, then brown, strong, woody, with slightly spreading scales when fully ripe.

Sequoiadendron giant -Sequoiadendron giganteum Lindl.

Cones are spherical or oval, reddish-brown, 2-3 cm long and 1.5 - 2 cm wide. They ripen in the first year, when ripe they open and for a long time are on the tree. Scutes rhombic, 0.8 cm wide, strongly wrinkled on surface, short. The tip in the deepening of the shield falls off early.

Sequoia evergreen - Sequoia sempervirens Endl.

8. Cones are oblong-ovate, hanging obliquely on elongated shoots of the last year with rounded seed scales, with a three-lobed, strongly protruding middle lobe of the covering scale, which is longer than the seed ones both during flowering and in mature cones.

Liesuga - Pseudotsuga Menziesii Mirb.

Covering scales entire, less than seed scales 9

9. Cones are round-ovate, located obliquely on shortened shoots, after scattering of seeds they remain hanging on a tree for 2-3 years. In mature cones, the seed scales are larger than the coverts.

Cones are located throughout the crown, 2 - 2.5 cm long and 1 cm wide. At the ends of last year's shoots, small, more or less hanging, ripen in the first year, do not fall apart when ripe and remain on the tree for a long time. Seed scales are thin, rounded, covering scales are much narrower, entire, finely dentate, slightly notched.

Canadian hemlock - Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr.

10. Covering scales are visible only at the base of the cone and look like light tongues. Cones hanging from ovoid to elongated cylindrical, opening when seeds are dispersed in winter or autumn, falling entirely much later, ripen in autumn in the first year of flowering.

Spruce - Picea Dietr.

Seed flakes are thin, without thickenings.

11. Seed scales in mature cones do not become lignified, but remain juicy, bluish-black cones of ovoid-spherical shape 6-9 mm in diameter with a brownish-green resinous sweetish liquid inside, surrounding 1-3 seeds.

Common juniper - Juniperus communis L.

Seed flakes leathery or woody 12

12. Seed flakes are woody, have petiolate bases, corymbose-widened outwards, many-sided, with a short point in the center, tightly adjacent to each other 13

Seed flakes slightly woody, leathery 14

13. Cones are round-spherical, ripen in the second year, at this time the scales of the cones move apart and release the seeds in August - September in the second or third year. The buds are green at first, then shiny brown and grey. Cones 2 - 3 cm in diameter, from 8 - 12 irregularly 5 - 6-coal scales.

Cypress evergreen - Cupressus sempervirens L.

Cones are small, spherical, hard with thyroid scales, convex in the central part. They ripen in the first year.

Pea-bearing cypress Chamaecyparis pisifera Sieb.

14. Cones are oblong-oval, erect, sometimes recurved, 10-15 cm long, from 3-4 pairs of brownish-brown, leathery-woody, narrow-oval and at the top of unevenly toothed seed scales, of which only 2 pairs carry 2 seeds each. They ripen in autumn in the year of flowering and open in October - December, after which they fall off.

Thuja western - Thuja occidentalis L.

Cones on short shoots, directed upwards, 10-15 mm long, obovate-wedge-shaped, fleshy before maturity, bluish-green, later dry reddish-brown, with 6-8 opposite, ovoid at the apex, hook-shaped seed flakes, of which the upper barren, the middle ones bear 1 seed each and the lower ones 2.

Thuja, or eastern biota, - Biota orientalis Endl. = Thuja orientalis L.

12.2. Key to identifying some species of the genus Abies by buds

Covering scales are not visible in a mature cone, as they are shorter than seed scales 7

2. Covering scales are much longer than seed scales 3

Cover scales slightly longer or equal in length to seed scales 5

3. Cylindrical cones 10-20 (25) cm long and 3 - 6 (8) cm wide. The covering scales are bent down, the central lobe is subulate.

Noble fir - Abies nobilis Sindl. Cones are much larger, covering scales with a recurved tip 4

4. Cones large, obtusely cylindrical, 10-16 (20) cm long, 3-5 cm wide; brown, seed flakes broadly reniform, on outside pubescent; covering scales with a long protruding and backward bent point.

European white fir, or comb, - Abies alba Mill.

Cones are very large, 12-20 cm long, 4-5 cm wide, first green, then dark brown, for the most part covered with resin. The covering scales are linear-camate with a rounded, finely serrated apex and a long downwardly bent central filiform lobe. Seed flakes reniform or semilunar, sharply narrowed at the base into a wedge-shaped stalk, velvety on the outside. Cones break up in September in the year of flowering.

Caucasian fir, Nordmann -Abies Nordmanniana Spach.

5. Cones 5 - 6 cm long, 2 - 2.5 cm wide, reddish, then dark purple. Seed flakes are hairy, kidney-shaped with a notched base, having ears, sharply elongated into a narrow wedge-shaped stalk. The covering scales are thin (membranous), rounded, with a serrated edge and a long subulate, bent down equal seed scale, with a middle lobe protruding somewhat from under the seed scales. The cones fall apart in October.

White fir, or kidney scale, - A. nephrolepis Maxim.

Covering scales of the same length with seed 6

6. Cones are cylindrical, 5 - 7 cm long, 2 - 2.8 cm wide, purple-purple before ripening. Seed scales broadly reniform, wider than long, covering scales recurved.

Korean fir - A. koreana Wils.

Cones are cylindrical, 6 - 7 cm long, 3 cm wide, violet-purple at first, rarely green, brown when mature. Seed flakes semilunar, entire, ear-shaped curved on the sides of the stem. Covering scales of the same length with seed scales or with a barely protruding tip.

Vicha Fir - A. Veitchii Lindl.

7. Covering scales are short, no longer than 0.5 seed scales. Seed scales are wedge-heart-shaped with an entire or slightly serrated edge and a long stalk. Cones are cylindrical, 7.5-12 cm long, 3-4 cm wide, light brown.

Whole-leaved fir - A. holophylla Maxim.

Covering scales shorter than seed scales by half 8

8. Cones are oval-cylindrical, 8-10 (14) cm long and 3-5 cm wide, olive green to purple before maturation. Covering scales are much shorter than seed scales.

Single color fir - A. concolor Lindl.

Cones up to 10 cm long 9

9. Cones are light brown, cylindrical, with a blunt top, 6-10 cm long and 2-4 cm wide. The scales of the cones are broadly wedge-shaped, rounded at the apex, with small teeth and a matte outer side, on which the covering scales are clearly visible. In September - October, the cones ripen, become loose, the scales are separated from the rod that carries them and fall off along with the seeds, and the woody vertical rods remain on the shoots.

Siberian fir - A. sibirica Ldb.

Cones oval-cylindrical, 5 - 10 cm long and 2 - 2.5 cm wide; young dark purple, mature gray-brown, strongly resinous. They ripen and fall apart in October.

Balsam fir - A. balsamea Mill.

12.3. The key to identifying some species of the genus Picea by cones

The ends of the seed scales are rounded and have a hoof shape 4

2. Cones are fusiform-cylindrical, large, hard, 10-15 cm long and 3-4 cm wide, initially light green or dark purple, in the mature state light brown or reddish-brown, glossy, with a woody-skinny obovate convex, notched along the edge, serrated upper edge, with truncated seed scales. They ripen in the year of flowering in October.

Norway spruce or European spruce, -Picea abies Karst = P. excelsa Link.

Seed flakes are leathery, cones are soft, light, smaller in size 3

3. Cones 5 - 10 cm long and 2 - 3 cm wide; cylindrical, greenish-yellow before maturation, with thin flexible oblong-rhombic scales directed parallel to the axis of the cone; scales are grooved, wavy-toothed along the edge. They ripen in the year of flowering and remain on the trees until the autumn of the next year.

Prickly spruce - Picea pungens Engelm.

Cones 3 - 8.5 cm long, 1.5 - 3 cm wide, young greenish-yellow or purple, mature light brown; scales loosely overlapping each other, leathery, thin, elliptical with a wavy-toothed or notched upper edge, as if chopped off.

Ayan spruce - Picea jezoensis Carr.

4. Cones are long, fusiform-cylindrical, 5 - 10 cm long, 1.5 - 2 cm wide, light brown in color, seed scales are obovate, with a wide rounded upper edge, streaked along the back, shiny.

Eastern spruce - Picea orientalis L.

Cones cylindrical or ovate-oblong 5

5. Cones are cylindrical, 7-10 (12) cm long, 2.5 - 3 cm wide, with convex, shiny, brown scales, irregularly finely toothed, the edges of which are rounded or truncated.

Spruce Shrenka, or Tien Shan, - Picea Schrenkiana F.

Cones ovoid-cylindrical 6

6. Cones 4 - 8 cm long, 2 - 3 cm wide, with convex wide seed scales, with rounded and entire upper ends.

Siberian spruce - Picea obovata Ldb.

Cones small 7

7. Cones ovate-oblong 8

Cones oblong-cylindrical 9

8. Cones horizontally spaced or hanging, ovate-oblong, 4 - 6 cm long, 1.5 - 2 cm wide, first bluish-black, then brown in maturity, shiny, with rounded at the upper edge and longitudinally finely streaked scales, fluffy to the base. Cones open in August.

Serbian spruce - Picea omorica Purk.

Cones ovate-oval, 3 - 4 cm long and 1.5 - 2 cm wide, resinous, purple and green before maturation, reddish-brown when mature, with rounded entire scales. They ripen in September, fall off in the 2nd year.

Spruce red - Picea rubra Link.

9. Cones are cylindrical, 3.5 - 5 cm long and 1.5 - 2.0 cm wide, light green before maturation, light brown when mature; scales obovate-wedge-shaped, entire thin and elastic; cones ripen in September, fall off in autumn or winter.

Canadian spruce, or white, - Picea canadensis Britt.

Cones are cylindrical, 4.5 - 6 cm long, 2 - 2.5 cm wide; immature dark purple-red, purple or green, mature gray-brown with obovate-rounded scales.

12.4. Key to identifying some species of the genus Larix by cones

Covering scales shorter than seed scales or visible only in the lower part of the cone 4

2. Cones 7 - 10 cm long and 3 - 4 cm wide, bluish-green or purple before maturation, orange-brown when mature; seed scales slightly notched above, fluffy outside; cover scales wide, gradually pointed towards apex, strongly protruding and recurved.

Griffith larch - Larix Griffithii Hook - planting material.

The covering scales are slightly longer than the seed scales and protrude above the seed scales with an awl-shaped outgrowth 3

3. Cones 2 - 4 cm long, 1.5 - 2.5 cm wide, ovate-conical, brownish, weakly open. Seed scales slightly convex outwards, with longitudinal stripes on the back, with an entire wavy edge narrowly bent outwards, glabrous or with sparse pubescence; cover scales are oval with a long awl-shaped lobe protruding from behind the seed scales. They ripen in the first year in September, open in the spring of the next year and fall off after 3-5-10 years, along with the death of the shoots. Cones often germinate as shoots.

Falling larch, or European, -Larix decidua Mill - planting material.

Cones are ovate-oblong, 2.5 - 3.5 (5) cm long and 1.8 -2.5 cm wide; seed flakes rounded or truncated, often recurved, finely hairy on the outside in the lower half; cover scales with long lanceolate tips, significantly protruding above the seed scales. They ripen in September and soon fall off.

Western larch, or American, -Larix occidentalis Nutt = L. americana Can.

4. Cones are relatively large, 3 - 5 cm long 5

Cones less than 3 cm long, small 8

5. Seed scales dense, leathery-woody 6

Seed flakes are thin, cones are soft 7

6. Cones 2.5 - 3 cm long, ovoid and oblong-oval, densely closed before maturation, mature wide open, light brown or light yellow, consist of 22 - 38 scales, arranged in 5-7 rows, seed scales broadly ovoid, entire , leg-shaped, covered with reddish pubescence, dense at the base of the scales; covering scales are hidden between the seed scales and are visible at the base of the cone.

Siberian larch - Larix sibirica Ldb.

Cones 2.5 - 4.0 cm long, ovoid, and with open scales rounded-spherical, seed scales strongly convex, spoon-shaped outside, densely covered with reddish pubescence in the lower part; the number of seed scales in a cone is 28-36 (70), the covering scales are shorter than the seed scales and are invisible in a mature cone.

Larch Sukachevi - L. Sukaczewii Djil.

7. Cones are round-oval, 2 - 2.5 cm long, consist of 45 - 50 (70) scales in 6 rows; seed scales are thin, fragile, with an edge bent outwards, reddish-light brown outside, short hairs. Covering scales are half shorter than seed scales, lanceolate-acuminate, brown-red. Ripens at the end of September.

Japanese larch, or fine-scaly, - L. leptolepis Gord - planting material.

Cones are ovate-oblong or oval, 1.5 - 3.0 cm long, seed flakes are flat, glabrous with a barely noticeable notch, tops in 6 - 7 rows; covering scales equal or slightly shorter than seed scales.

Seaside larch - L. maritima Suk.

8. Cones 1.5 - 2.5 cm long, spherical-oval, obtuse, with 10-25 scales in 3 - 4 rows; seed flakes glabrous, shiny, notched, cut off from above, wide open in a mature cone; covering scales are visible at the base of the cone and in the lower rows of scales in the open cone.

Dahurian larch - L. dahurica Turcz.

Larch with intermediate hybrid traits in cone structure 9

9. Cone-shaped cones with clearly protruding seed flakes bent outward sit on yellow legs. A hybrid of European larch with Japanese larch. Broad-scaled larch - L. eurolepis Henry.

Seed flakes are strongly bent down along the edge. Cones are characterized by mixed features of the original species of Dahurian larch and Siberian larch.

Chekanowsky larch - L. Czekanowskii Szaf.

12.5. The key to identifying some species of the genus Pinus by cones

Seed scales with a triangular shield, the umbilicus is placed at the end of the scale 11

2. Cones lateral, 1 - 3, erect or deviated 3

Cones are apical, perpendicular to the branch or deviated 4

3. Shields are flat, elongated-conical. Cones are mostly curved, 3 - 5 cm long and 2 - 3 cm wide, usually remaining closed for many years. The scutes are flat, with a small navel, rounded at the end, light yellow, shiny, the scales of the opened cones are brown on the inside, blackish on the outside.

Banks pine - Pinus banksiana Lamb.

The scutes are convex, the umbilicus is small with a thin curved spine. Cones sessile, oblong-ovate, very oblique and asymmetrical, light yellow-brown, 2-6 cm long and 2-3 cm wide, remaining closed on the tree for a very long time. Seed scales are thin.

Twisted pine - Pinus contorta Dougl.

4. Seed flakes no wider than 10 mm 5

Scales more than 10 mm wide 6

5. Cones solitary or 2 - 3 on legs bent down, ripen in the second year, mature gray, matte, oblong-ovate, 2.5 - 7 cm long and 2 - 3 cm wide. Scutes almost rhombic, umbilicus small, slightly convex, light brown, shining. Opened cones soon fall off.

Scotch pine - Pinus sylvestris L.

Cones 2 - 6 cm long and 1.5 - 2 cm wide, ripening in the spring of the 3rd year. The scutes are rhombic, flat or convex, acute-angled in front, the navel is surrounded by a black border. The base of the cone is flat.

Mountain pine - Pinus mugo Turra = P. montana Mill.

6. Cones solitary, spherical, 10 - 15 cm long and 10 cm wide, brilliant brown, ripen in the 3rd year. As the cone matures, the scales gradually fall off from the base and release dense woody seeds. Shields large, 5-6-angular, spherical inflated, with radially radiating fissures; umbilicus large, gray, almost 4-coal, flat, strongly lignified.

Italian pine, pine - Pinus pinea L.

Buds medium and slightly lignified 7

7. Cones solitary 8 - Cones in whorls of 2 - 4 pieces, rarely single 9

8. Cones sessile, ovate-conical, light brown, shiny, 5 - 10 cm long and 4.5 - 6 cm wide; scutes yellowish-gray, shining, broadly rounded in front, convex with meat-red or grayish umbilicus.

Crimean pine (Pallas) - Pinus pallasiana Lamb.

Cones on short petioles, directed perpendicular to the shoot, ovate-conical, 6-10 cm long, 3.5-5 cm wide, reddish-brown, shiny. Scutes almost rhombic, flat, with radially diverging cracks. The transverse carina is slightly raised, sharp, with a transversely concave and elongated umbilicus.

Pitsunda pine - Pinus pityusa Stev.

9. Cones on short petioles, deviated downwards, ovate-conical, tapering sharply from above, 9 - 18 cm long and 5 - 8 cm wide at the base, shiny yellow-brown; scutes rhombic, transversely elongated, with a sharp transverse keel; the umbilicus is large, elliptical, strongly protruding, with a straight or curved spine.

Maritime pine - Pinus pinaster Sol.

Cones sessile or on very short petioles 10

10. Cones oblong-ovate, straight or slightly curved, 5 - 8 cm long, 3 - 5 cm wide, light brown. Scutes irregularly rhombic, shining, red-brown, with convex transverse keel; umbilicus depressed, small, elliptical, whitish-gray. When ripe, the cones do not open for a long time.

Eldar pine - Pinus eldarika Medw.

Cones ovoid, 5 - 7.5 cm long and 2 - 3.5 cm wide, brilliant gray-brown. They open in the 3rd year and soon fall off. Seed flakes inside black-brown, scutes in front rounded, swollen with a sharp transverse keel, turning into a short spine of the umbilicus.

Austrian black pine - Pinus nigra Am.

11. Cones non-opening, non-hanging 12

Buds opening, hanging down 16

12. Cones are small, oblong-ovate, 3.5 - 4.5 cm long and 2.2 - 3 cm wide, first red-violet, then green, mature light brown, shiny, 3.5 - 4.5 cm long and 2.2 - 3 cm wide. The scutes are large, ending in a retracted and recurved umbilicus.

Siberian dwarf pine - P. pumila Rgl.

Buds are large, ovoid or cylindrical 13

13. Cones spherical-ovoid 14

Cones cylindrical, large 15

14. Cones erect, light brown, 6 - 13 cm long and 5 - 8 cm wide, seed flakes dense, appressed, covered with short hard hairs on the surface. Scutes thickened, large, up to 2 cm with a small white umbilicus.

Siberian cedar pine - P. sibirica Maur.

15. Cones at first reddish, then purple, mature - brown, in the autumn of the second year they fall off together with seeds, 10 - 15 cm long and 5 - 10 cm wide; seed scales are thinly woody, longitudinally wrinkled; scutes with a sharp wavy edge, large, triangular, at the end with a recurved apex.

Korean pine, or Manchurian, cedar - R. koraiensis Sieb.

Cones sessile, at first erect, then turned down; 7 - 15 cm long and 4 - 6 cm wide, yellowish or light brown, shiny. Scales are thick, woody, strongly deflexed on mature cones, rounded at the end, with a dark blunt umbilicus.

Pine flexible, or with. California cedar, - P. flexilis James.

16. Large cones on long petioles, 15 - 25 cm long and 5 - 7 cm wide, curved or straight cylindrical, initially green with a bluish bloom, then light brown, resinous. Seed scales are thin, flexible. Scutes slightly thickened, longitudinally striated, with obtuse dark umbilicus.

Himalayan weymouth pine - P. excelsa Wall

Cones are 1.5-2 times smaller 17

17. Cones are narrow-cylindrical, 1-3 on petioles up to 1.5 cm long, curved, light brown or grayish; 8 -15 cm long and 4 cm wide. Seed flakes are thin woody; the scutellum is large, twisted at the end, with a blunt umbilicus.

Weymouth pine - P. strobus L. See:.

Cones on short petioles, hanging, single or in several pieces, cylindrical, 8-10 cm long and 3-4 cm wide, light yellow, brown. Scutes yellow above, vaulted-convex, thickened at the apex, with a small blunt umbilicus. Opened scales depart from the kidney at a right angle, as a result of which the open cone reaches 8 cm in width.

Rumelian pine - R. reuse Gris

Gasheva N.A.

The method of analysis of variance was applied to study the strength of the influence of various complex natural factors on the variability of the length of the Siberian spruce cone growing in the Ural forest province. Shown, that greatest influence On the variability of the length of the cones in this area have the individual characteristics of the trees, the longitude of the area and the height above sea level.

Cone length as one of the diagnostic signs of differences in Siberian spruce ( Picea obovata Ledeb.) and European ( P. abies(L.) Karst.), as well as an indicator that correlates with important forestry characteristics of spruces, has been fairly well studied. However, there is no generally accepted estimate of the share of the contribution of genetic and environmental factors to the variability of the cone length; the problem of regularities in the variability of this trait in populations with different levels of genetic heterogeneity (for example, in sympatric populations of two species of spruce on the East Russian Plain and eastern populations of Siberian spruce) has not been studied, exhaustive explanations have not been given for some conflicting data on the variability of the cone length (high correlation coefficient between the length of the cone and the shape of the seed scales in the western part of the range and the absence of such a correlation in the eastern part; a different ratio of intracrown and intrapopulation variability according to different researchers). In our opinion, a significant contribution to the study of the patterns of variability of this trait can be made by an ecological approach, when the processes of variability are compared with the action of a complex of biotic and abiotic factors acting in a certain area, as well as a mathematical assessment of the action of these factors.

The purpose of this work is to mathematically evaluate the contribution of various factors to the variability of cone length in the Urals.

Study area, material, technique

Studies of the length of a cone of a spruce growing in the Urals were carried out in a geographical area determined by coordinates from 560 E. up to 650 east and from 610 N.S. up to 550 N (i.e. in areas that exclude pessimal living conditions). Approximately between 560 and 570 east longitude is the border of the East Russian and Ural forest provinces. It is believed that European spruce is no longer found east of this border, and hybrids between European spruce and Siberian spruce predominate to the west.

The collection of cones was carried out in the vicinity of 30 geographical points. At each point, 100 trees were examined (one "typical" cone per tree). To determine the ratio of the share of genetic and environmental factors in the total variability of the cone length, 20-30 cones were collected from 10-25 trees in four forest stands: Nyrob (56 0 45` E 60 0 45` N), Shalya ( 580 40` E 570 20` N), Talitsa (63 0 45` E 57 0 00` N), Chembacchino (69 0 55` E 60 0 07` n.l.), remote from each other in eastbound from the western to the eastern border of the Ural forest-growing province.

Accounting for forest types was carried out according to Sukachev.

Altitude above sea level and geographical coordinates identified on the map. The strength of the influence of various factors was studied by the method of analysis of variance using the application package for a personal computer STATAN-96.

Research results and discussion

Our studies have shown that the average length of a spruce cone in this area is 70.6 mm. The range of variability of the mean values ​​was from 63 mm (Talitsa 63 0 45` E 57 0 00` N) to 77.0 mm (Pike Lake 56 0 30' E to 56 0 20' S .sh.). The interpopulation coefficient of variation of the average values ​​of the cone length of spruces from the indicated region of the Urals turned out to be very low and amounted to 6.1±0.81%; the intrapopulation coefficient of variation ranged from 8.7% (Chusovoi, linden spruce forest) to 14.9% (Kytlym), intracrown - from 6% to 12%.

The data on the type of distribution of average cone lengths showed the presence of a significant negative excess, which may indicate the existence of disruptive selection in two different directions based on the cone length in the study area. One maximum indicated a cone length of 66 mm, the other 74 mm. Such selection can only be based on genetic differences between individuals. The geographical position of the population (latitude and longitude of the area), the type of forest, as well as the conditions formed by certain heights above sea level can be considered complex natural factors that affect the direction of selection.

Analysis of variance, carried out for all the above factors, confirmed that the null hypothesis of a random difference in cone length in the Urals is rejected, and the contribution of each of these factors is reliable and ranges from 11 to 70% (table).

Analysis of variance by the factor of belonging to different micropopulations was carried out simultaneously for 30 gradations corresponding to 30 cone collection points in the Urals. It turned out that the strength of the influence of the factor of belonging to different micropopulations is 18%, i.e. only a small percentage of the studied micropopulations differed significantly in cone length.

Since the cone length indicator is recognized as ecologically labile, it is important to assess the degree of influence of forest type on the variability of this indicator. To do this, by the method of dispersion analysis, we studied 3 gradations (sorrel spruce forest, E. linnyakovy and E. long-moss) and 5 gradations (sphagnum spruce forest, E. prirucheyny, E. sorrel, E. lindeny, E. long-moss). All types of forests were studied in one geographical area in the vicinity of the city of Chusovoy.

In the analysis of variance of such a combination of forest types, it turned out that when forest types are analyzed that are similar in their characteristics, the influence of this factor is insignificant 2.7% (analysis by 3 gradations), but significant; while analyzing 5 gradations, with the participation of the sphagnum spruce forest, the influence of the forest type increases to 21%. Differences in cone length are significant in all combinations with E. sphagnum, as well as in a pair of E. brook E. linden. Thus, the influence of forest types (even slightly different ones) on the length of the cone is beyond doubt.

To study the strength of the influence of longitude and latitude of the locality on the length of the cone, two gradations in the longitude of the locality, corresponding to 2 groups of micropopulations located west and east of 58 0 E, and two gradations in the latitude of the locality, corresponding to two groups of micropopulations located to the south and north of 58 0 n. Power of Influence the longitude of the area for the length of the cone is reliable and amounts to 31%; the strength of the influence of the latitude of the area is also reliable and equal to 11%. Such a strong influence of the longitude of the locality can be explained by the fact that almost the entire length of the Ural Range passes its axial line meridional, and this affects the distribution of meteorological elements and cannot but affect free exchange genetic information between groups of spruces located west and east of the watershed.

Table. The strength of the influence of various factors on the length of the spruce cone

Despite the predominance of insignificant heights in the middle part of the Urals, the height above sea level contributes to the nonrandom variability of the spruce cone length in the study area. In terms of altitude above sea level, we have identified 5 gradations throughout the study area: 1 to 100 m inclusive; 2 - up to 200 m; 3 to 300 m; 4 to 400 m; 5 more than 400. One-way analysis of variance of the influence of altitude above sea level with the above grouping of data showed that the strength of the influence of altitude above sea level in the studied region is significant and amounts to 34%. These data were compared with the effect of high altitudes on the cone length. To do this, we used the field material collected by the group of d.b.s. S.N. Sannikov in the highlands of the middle Urals. 5 height gradations were identified on Kosvinsky Kamen: 200 m, 300 m, 400 m, 800 m and 900 m. From 85 to 100 trees were studied in each gradation. In this case, the strength of the influence of the height of the terrain above sea level turned out to be even greater and amounted to 55%.

The length of the cone, changing under the influence of environmental conditions, is also genetically determined to a sufficient extent. Investigating the ratio of cone length variability within the tree crown and between trees of the same population, it was found that the individual characteristics of trees in the western part of the study area (Nyrob - on the border of the East Russian and Ural forest growing provinces) determine the cone length variability by 70%, and in the eastern part by about 40%. %, which can be explained by the lower genetic heterogeneity of the eastern spruce populations, remote from the zone of intense introgressive hybridization.

Thus, the use of analysis of variance made it possible to identify a set of factors that determine the variability of the cone length of spruce in the Ural forest province.

It turned out that in the study area, the main factors that determine statistically significant differences in spruce cone length are the individual characteristics of trees, altitude and longitude of the area.

Literature

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