Torrey Pine - Terminology

Terminology

Some unusual terms that are commonly seen in conjunction with the Torrey Pine are:

  • fascicle (botany) - a cluster of needles, which consists of a fixed number of needles per given pine species, which in the case of Torrey Pine number five
  • stratification (botany) - the process of subjecting seeds to cold in order to encourage germination, which in the case of Torrey Pine seeds is a recommended practice
  • strobilus (plural: strobili) - a structure that functions as a flower but looks like a small cone, which in the case of Torrey Pine looks like a yellow bud in a male strobilus and looks like a small red cone in a female strobilus
  • witch's broom - an unusually dense cluster of needles, which looks somewhat like a bird's nest, which can be caused by disease or by some other source, also called "gorilla's nest"

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