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How pine cones open

Author

Listed:
  • Colin Dawson

    (Centre for Biomimetics, University of Reading)

  • Julian F. V. Vincent

    (Centre for Biomimetics, University of Reading)

  • Anne-Marie Rocca

    (Defence Clothing and Textile Agency)

Abstract

The scales of seed-bearing pine cones move in response to changes in relative humidity. The scales gape open when it is dry, releasing the cone's seeds1. When it is damp, the scales close up. The cells in a mature cone are dead, so the mechanism is passive: the structure of the scale and the walls of the cells composing the scale respond to changing relative humidity. Dissection of cones from the Monterey pine, Pinus radiata, revealed to us two types of scale growing from the main body of the cone — the ovuliferous scale and the bract scale. The larger ovuliferous scales respond to changes in relative humidity when removed from the body of the cone.

Suggested Citation

  • Colin Dawson & Julian F. V. Vincent & Anne-Marie Rocca, 1997. "How pine cones open," Nature, Nature, vol. 390(6661), pages 668-668, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:390:y:1997:i:6661:d:10.1038_37745
    DOI: 10.1038/37745
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    Cited by:

    1. Artem Holstov & Graham Farmer & Ben Bridgens, 2017. "Sustainable Materialisation of Responsive Architecture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-20, March.
    2. Armand Hatchuel & Camila Freitas Salgueiredo, 2016. "Beyond analogy: A model of bioinspiration for creative design," Post-Print hal-01396212, HAL.
    3. Manso, Rubén & Pardos, Marta & Keyes, Christopher R. & Calama, Rafael, 2012. "Modelling the spatio-temporal pattern of primary dispersal in stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) stands in the Northern Plateau (Spain)," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 11-21.

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