XVI International Botanical Congess

Due to classical Florin's conception typical female cone is regarded as combined strobile consisting of simple strobiles (seed scales: SS). Our study in female reproductive organs of all genera of Araucariales, Pinales, Taxodiales s. l. and literature analysis on Coniferae female cone teratology and organogenesis show that such interpretation is acceptable only with specification. SS of Araucariales and Cunninghamia presents metamorphorized brachyblast with two leaves and primary abaxial ovules, leaves margins with ovules on them wrapped themselves up and the ovules appeared to be on the adaxial side. Pinales SS turns out to be modified neotenic shoot with two prophylls and adaxial ovules. Taxodium, Glyptostrobus, Cryptomeria, Cupressaceae s. l. don't have SS, their orthotropous ovules can be found in bract's axil. Sequoia, Metasequoia, Taiwania, Atrothaxis, Sciadopitys have SS being interpreted as modified auxiblst with primary abaxial ovules.