cone(in formalbotanicalusage:strobilus, pluralstrobili) is an organ onplantsin the divisionPinophyta(conifers) that contains thereproductivestructures. The familiar woody cone is the female cone, which producesseeds. The male cones, which producepollen, are usuallyherbaceousand much less conspicuous even at full maturity. The name "cone" derives from the fact that the shape in some species resembles ageometric cone. The individual plates of a cone are known asscales.

The male cone (microstrobilusorpollen cone) is structurally similar across all conifers, differing only in small ways (mostly in scale arrangement) from species to species. Extending out from a central axis are microsporophylls (modified leaves). Under each microsporophyll is one or severalmicrosporangia(pollensacs).

The female cone (megastrobilus,seed cone, orovulate cone) containsovuleswhich, when fertilized by pollen, become seeds. The female cone structure varies more markedly between the different conifer families, and is often crucial for the identification of many species of conifers.