What are bracts in cone?
Bracts are structures in some seed cones (i.e., female cones), especially on trees in the pine family (Pinaceae). The seed cones of those conifers are comprised of bracts and cone scales. Biologists are not yet sure about the function of the bract-and-scale structure of cones. No bract is visible.
Does Douglas fir have cones?
Needles are yellowish-green, 1-inch-long and arranged in a spiral around the branchlets, like a bottlebrush. Cones are oblong, 2 to 4 inches long with three-pointed bracts and are located primarily in the upper crown. On mature trees the bark is thick (4 to 12 inches) and corky.
What are the characteristics of a Douglas fir tree?
Physical description. Douglas fir trees have long, flat, spirally arranged needles that grow directly from the branch and completely surround it. Each yellow- or blue-green needle is borne singly and has a short stalk at the base and a grooved upper surface. Winter buds are brown, shiny, and pointed.
Do fir trees produce cones?
Many conifers, including spruces, firs and Douglas-fir, produce cones in a two-year cycle. Cone buds are produced in the first year and then cones develop and mature in the second year.
What is the purpose of bracts?
The primary task of a bract is to protect the inflorescence. Some, like the stinking passionflower, exude a substance that repels grazers. Others have bristles. They may look like a leaf, part of a flower or, like Euphorbia (spurge), part of the plant.
How do you identify Douglas fir cones?
Douglas fir has unique buds that are pointed, reddish-brown and papery. Cones: The cones are the only ones you will find in the Northwest with three-pointed bracts sticking out of the scales. Unlike the true firs, the cones hang down rather than standing up on the branch.
Is Douglas fir actually a fir?
Douglas fir, which has sometimes been called the Douglas tree, Oregon pine, and Douglas spruce, is not actually a true fir, a pine, or a spruce. Douglas firs are evergreen trees, meaning they keep their needle-like leaves year-round.
Is Douglas fir a softwood or hardwood?
Doug-Fir is one of the most popular softwoods used both in factories and at home, and it is quite an interesting species. Despite being a softwood, it possesses features that enable it to be used in tasks mostly meant for hardwoods. Significantly, its high versatility gives it an unbeatable edge over its competitors.
What adaptations do Douglas fir have?
The trees have also developed adventitious roots, which means that they grow directly out of the trunk of the tree rather then out of other roots. This characteristic of the tree’s roots make it stronger and less likely to be tipped over.
Do blue spruce have pinecones?
The Glauca variety is notable for its bluish foliage. The 4-sided needles may grow to 1 – 1 ½ inches long and have a very sharp point. This species exhibits spring cone production. Cones are inconspicuous and not showy; they may be green, orange, and purple.
Why do some fir trees have cones?
Features. Conifers are trees that produce cones to protect their seeds. The cones have many scales to shelter the seeds. Eventually the scales open and the seeds fall to the ground, to grow where they fall, or to be carried away by wind, birds, squirrels or other small animals.
What are the bracts on a Douglas fir tree?
Seed cones: On the Douglas-fir seed cones (female cones), all that are visible are the bracts that will turn into “mousetails” familiar to kindergarten students throughout the Pacific NW. Press here to learn more about bracts on cones.
What do the cones on a Douglas fir look like?
I’ve noticed a fine yellow dusting of Douglas-fir pollen on the deck outside my back door. Seed cones: On the Douglas-fir seed cones (female cones), all that are visible are the bracts that will turn into “mousetails” familiar to kindergarten students throughout the Pacific NW.
What are the bracts on a pine cone?
Bracts are structures in some seed cones (i.e., female cones), especially on trees in the pine family ( Pinaceae ). The seed cones of those conifers are comprised of bracts and cone scales.
What kind of needles do Douglas firs have?
Even when the cones are not visible, the Douglas-Fir has several other identifying features. Needles – the needles are soft with blunt tips (unlike the sharp needles of spruce) and they stick out in all directions around the twig to resemble a bottlebrush.