shoots they are necessarily
subterminal (fig. 34), the lateral pistillate flower being possible only
on multinodal shoots (fig. 35) where it is often associated with the
subterminal flower (fig. 33). Like the multinodal shoot, on which its
existence depends, the lateral pistillate flower cannot be employed for
grouping the species. It is merely the frequent, but not the essential,
evidence of condition of growth that is more perfectly characterized by
the shoot itself.

Staminate catkins are in crowded clusters, capitate or elongate (figs.
36, 37), but with much variation in the number of catkins in each
cluster. In P. rigida I have found single catkins or clusters of all
numbers from two to seventy or more. In P. Massoniana and P. densiflora
a cluster attains such unusual length (fig. 37) that this character
becomes a valuable distinction between these species and P. sinensis,
which has short-capitate clusters. The catkins differ much in size, the
largest being found among the Hard Pines.

In the connective of the binate pollen-sacs there is a notable
difference (figs. 38, 39), the smaller form being characteristic of the
Soft Pines. But this is not invariable (excelsa, sylvestris, etc.), and
the absence of complete data does not permit an accurate estimate of its
importance.

THE CONELET. Plate III, figs. 40-45.

After pollination the pistillate flower closes and becomes the conelet,
the staminate flowers withering and falling away. The conelet makes no
appreciable growth until the following year. Like the pistillate flower
it may be subterminal or lateral, but a subterminal pistillate flower
may become a pseudolateral conelet by reason of a summer-growth (fig.
40-a). Such a condition may be recognized on the branchlets of the
present, and of the previous year (fig. 40-b), by the very short
internode and short leaves beyond the fruit.

The conelet offers some distinctions of form, of color, and of length of
peduncle, while in some species (sylvestris, caribaea, etc.) its
reflexed position is an important specific character. The most important
distinctions, however, are found in its scales, which may be

1. entire subsection Cembra fig. 41.
2. tuberculate tropicalis, etc. fig. 42.
3. short-mucronate sylvestris, glabra, etc. fig. 43.
4. long-mucronate aristata, contorta, etc. fig. 44.
5. spinescent taeda, pungens, etc. fig. 45.