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The Secret Life of Cones |
| Section: NATURAL SCIENCE / NATURE WALK |
| Author: Gail Dutton |
| Publication:
The World & I Online |
| Issue Date: 2/1/1996 |
| Size: 1,491 Words, 9,164 Characters |
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When playwright James Flecker wrote in Brumana, "For pines are gossip pines the wide world through," he wasn't far wrong. Pinecones are heaped into baskets by fireplaces, wired into wreathes and garlands, and hoarded by children, and their seeds have made their way into fine restaurants as well as tepees. If pinecones could talk, their gossip could be scintillating. Their most important role, however, is in the forest, providing the beginnings of life for another generation of conifers.
Pine trees can be found throughout the world, ranging from Alaska to Nicaragua, from Scandinavia to North Africa, and from Siberia to Sumatra. Their genus, called Pinus, includes some 100 species and is the largest group in the division Coniferophyta (conifers), comprising some 550 members. Conifers, in turn, constitute the largest group among nonflowering seed plants, called gymnosperms.
Most conifers are evergree...
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...ible and form an enjoyable part of the diet of many cultures around the world. They were highly prized by Native Americans throughout the Great Basin region. With a high content of protein and oil, the nuts have a rich, slightly sweet flavor that works wonderfully with many cream sauces. Check the menu at a few of your favorite restaurants. Odds are good that several dishes feature pine nuts.
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Publication Details
(The World & I Online) |
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The World & I Online is a
comprehensive academic resource that encompasses a broad range of
articles by scholars and experts in the areas of Global Studies,
Liberal Arts, Fine & Applied Arts, General Science, and Spanish.
Originally published monthly in print as The World & I, our site
includes the complete contents since 1986 and continues to publish
a new issue online each month. |
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