What is it?

At first we couldn't figure out what this "pine cone" came from. It is the seed casing from a magnolia tree. We found it at Mom's house before we left for Arkansas, and then on our trip saw many more. This is from a beautiful tree in Mom's park. Can you believe that the neighbors wish it were cut down because it sheds too many leaves in the summer. I tell ya, those central Floridians, they hate a messy tree!