As the tree matures, the pine starts to produce the needles in bunches. These needle clusters are called fascicles, and may have from 1-8 needles (depending on species) held together at the base by a small collar of scalelike leaves. The needles (leaves) are born on an extremely short shoot within the fascicle base, in which growth of the meristem has been suspended. The fascicle is actually an extremely short branch with determinate growth.