It's a Coulter pine (Pinus coulteri)... photos and description I've
found are very similar to what I have.
Many thanks!

Scott Ranger wrote:

Sounds like you have a Jeffery pine cone. It is very closely related
to Ponderosa pines, and grows at higher elevations. When I took plant
taxonomy in southern California, the test on gymnosperms included a
"blind" test of pine cones. The professor put an assortment of cones
in a box that we had to put our hand in and feel the cones and
identify them. Your description brought back this memory. Jeffrey
cones can be up to 11 3/4 inches long, very close to your 30 cm. That
is a huge cone for Jeffrey, but possible.

Scott Ranger

"Louise"
wrote in message ...

Hi! I'm wondering if there someone who can help me to identify a
gymno sp. by its cone. I don't have any picture right now to send,
but I will soon.

My boyfriend brought it back from California state and since he
doesn't know anything about plants, he just brought back the cone
and no info on the tree or other characteristics. It looks like a
Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) cone a lot, but it is much bigger
: it mesures around 30cm. The "scales" are thick at their end,
just like a piece of wood and the "mucron" (sorry! I only know the
french term) is longer and more curved. The edges of the "scales"
are also very sharp. Right now, the only reference I have is a
book on canadian trees species... I'm wondering if southernmost
specimens would make bigger cones since the growth conditions are
better?

thanks for the help!