Pinus banksiana
 
Jack Pine

Opened Mature Seed Cones

Hudson Bay Regional Park
15-June-2019

The scales are bound tightly together, under tension, with a hard resin.  During a forest fire the resin melts allowing the scales to move apart from one another exposing the seeds located on the adaxial scale face.  These two seed cones were held over a campfire for about 20 minutes to mimic the effects of a forest fire.

The key answers below are taken from Conifers & Catkin-Bearing Trees and Shrubs of Saskatchewan by George Argus, Vernon Harms, Anna Leighton, and Mary Vetter.  This book is published jointly by Flora of Saskatchewan Association and Nature Saskatchewan.

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Banksiana: Answers to key questions leading to this species. 
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Seed cones usually in pairs or sometimes whorled, curved forward on branches, lanceoloid before opening, ovoid when open; apophysis generally flat or depressed (or enlarged on one side toward outer cone base); umbo unarmed or with minute reflexed prickle; central and northern Saskatchewan.  NOT [Seed cones solitary or in pairs, spreading to recurved on branches, lanceoloid to ovoid before opening, broadly ovoid to nearly globose when open; apophysis +/- raised and those on mid to lower scales mostly much domed, rhombic and cross-keeled; umbo mostly armed with a stubby or slender prickle to 6 mm long; Cypress Hills.]

 

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Pinus: Answers to key questions leading to this genus. 
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Needles on year-old and older branches borne either in groups (fascicles) of 2 with each fascicle scaly-sheathed at base at least when young, or in clusters of 12-25 on short shoots with clusters not scaly sheathed.  NOT [Needles borne singly along branches, not in fascicles scaly-sheathed at base or on short shoots.]

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Needles in fascicles of 2 on dwarf shoots, evergreen; scales of seed cones with thickened apical portion (apophysis) bearing terminal or central, scar-like to raised umbo and often a prickle or hook.  NOT [Needles in clusters of 12-25 on short shoots, deciduous; scales of seed cones without apophyses, umbos, and prickle.]

 

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Pinaceae: Answers to key questions leading to this family. 
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Leaves needle-like, alternate or fascicled/clustered, shed individually from branchlets (usually shed as fascicles in Pinus); seed cone scales imbricate; seed cones dry; seeds adaxial and 2 per scale.  NOT [Leaves needle-like or scale-like, alternate, opposite or whorled, persistent on shoots, shedding with branchlets with age; seed cone scales fused or imbricate; seed cones berry-like (Juniperus) or dry (Thuja); seeds adaxial or terminal and 1-20 per scale.]