PINUS AVONENSIS,A NEW SPECIES OF PETRIFIED CONES FROM THE OLIGOCENE OF WESTERN MONTANA

Fossils from the Oligocene of western Montana described in this treatment are the first structurally preserved ovulate cones of Pinus to be reported from the Tertiary of North America. They are about 5.5 cm long and have a maximum diam of 2.5 cm. Numerous scales are arranged spirally around the axis and each scale bears two winged seeds. The bract subtending the ovuli-ferous scale is 3-4 mm long and is free from the scale throughout its length. The pith and cortex of the axis are constructed of thick-walled parenchyma cells and 18-21 resin canals occur at the inner edge of the cortex. Resin canals entering the base of the ovuliferous scale are restricted to the abaxial side with vascular tissues occupying the adaxial side. Vascular strands near the tip of the scale are strongly rounded on the adaxial or phloem side. At the abaxial side of the tip of the ovuliferous scale is a broadly rhomboidal apophysis with a raised umbo that terminates in a short spine. The fossils differ from the several Recent cones examined in having fewer resin canals and biseriate rays in the secondary xylem of the cone axis. The shape of the cone, its anatomical features, and the morphology of the tip of the cone scale indicate affinity with the subgenus Diploxylon.