Completely Arbortrary Cones on the Spectrum (Celerytop-Pine)
Jan 29, 2026
A deep dive into the celerytop-pine and its bizarre leaf and cone anatomy. A look at phylloclades, vestigial true leaves, and southern hemisphere leaf strategies. Discussion of podocarp reproductive structures and bird-dispersed fleshy cones. A broader conversation about taxonomy, category limits, and surprising exceptions to conifer stereotypes.
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Support The Year‑Of‑The‑Cone Project
- Casey is fundraising to document all 111 native U.S. conifers with photos and a book; support funds equipment and travel.
- Backers will receive the photography book and extra content via his Supercast and Patreon channels.
Conifer That Isn’t A Needle Tree
- The celery top pine is a Tasmanian conifer with broad, leaf-like phylloclades rather than true leaves.
- These flattened stem tissues perform photosynthesis and challenge northern-centric ideas of what a conifer is.
Cones Look And Act Like Fruit
- Podocarpaceae fruits are modified cones called epimatia that fuse scale tissue with the seed coating.
- Celery top pine produces a fleshy colorful receptacle that resembles a berry-like cone to attract birds.