Larch Cones

Female cones of a larch tree (Larix decidua). 

Even though I lived near larch woods for much of the first half of my life, I was surprised to come across these red flower-like growths on what otherwise looked like dead branches.

The male cones are larger and not as pretty:

Photos taken in Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2014-03-09.