NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Pinophyta

The conifers, division Pinophyta, also known as division Coniferae, are one of 13 or 14 division level taxa within the Kingdom Plantae. They are cone-bearing seed plants with vascular tissue; all extant conifers are woody plants, the great majority being trees with just a few being shrubs. Typical examples of conifers (corrrrrrrrrrniferous trees) include cedars, cypresses, douglas-firs, firs, junipers, kauris, larches, pines, redwoods, spruces, and yews. Species of conifers can be found growing naturally in almost all parts of the world, and are frequently dominant plants in their habitats, as in the taiga, for example. Conifers are of immense economic value, primarily for timber and paper production; the wood of conifers is known as softwood. The division contains approximately 700 living species. Conifer may refer to: Pinophyta (conifers), cone-bearing seed plants Conifer, Colorado, an unincorporated town in the United States Conifer High School Conifer Grove, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand USCGC Conifer (WLB-301), a U.S. Coast Guard seagoing buoy tender Category: ... This article discusses categorisations of organisms. ... A taxon (plural taxa), or taxonomic unit, is a grouping of organisms (named or unnamed). ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... Mature female European Black Pine cone Male cones of a pine A cone (in formal botanical usage: strobilus, plural strobili) is an organ on plants in the division Pinophyta (conifers) that contains the reproductive structures. ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... Divisions Non-seed-bearing plants â€ Rhyniophyta â€ Zosterophyllophyta Lycopodiophyta â€ Trimerophytophyta Pteridophyta Ophioglossophyta Superdivision Spermatophyta â€ Pteridospermatophyta Pinophyta Cycadophyta Ginkgophyta Gnetophyta Magnoliophyta The vascular plants, tracheophytes or higher plants are plants in the kingdom Plantae that have specialized tissues for conducting water, minerals, and photosynthetic products through the plant. ... A woody plant is a vascular plant that has a stem (or more than one stem) that is lignified to a high degree. ... The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ... A broom shrub in flower A shrub or bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 6 m tall. ... Species Cedrus deodara Cedrus libani var. ... Genera Actinostrobus Athrotaxis Austrocedrus Callitris - Cypress-pine Callitropsis - Cypress * (Cupressus) Calocedrus - Incense-cedar Chamaecyparis - Cypress Cryptomeria - Sugi Cunninghamia - Cunninghamia Cupressus - Cypress Diselma - Diselma Fitzroya - Alerce Fokienia - Fujian Cypress Glyptostrobus - Chinese Swamp Cypress Juniperus - Juniper Libocedrus Metasequoia - Dawn Redwood Microbiota - Microbiota Neocallitropsis Papuacedrus * (Libocedrus) Pilgerodendron * (Libocedrus) Platycladus - Chinese Arborvitae Sequoia - Coast... Species See text. ... FIR may stand for: finite impulse response (a property of some digital filters) far infrared, i. ... Species Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. ... Species See text The genus Agathis, commonly known as kauri or dammar forms a relatively small group of 21 species of evergreen trees in the family Araucariaceae, characteristically with very large trunks and little or no branching for some way up. ... For other uses, see Larch (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Pine (disambiguation). ... This article is about the species commonly called Coast Redwood. For the species commonly called Giant Sequoia, see Sequoiadendron. ... Species About 35; see text. ... Genera Taxaceae sensu stricto Taxus Pseudotaxus Austrotaxus — Cephalotaxaceae Torreya Amentotaxus Cephalotaxus The family Taxaceae, commonly called the yew family, includes three genera and about 7 to 12 species of coniferous plants, or in other interpretations (see Classification, below), six genera and about 30 species. ... Habitat (which is Latin for it inhabits) is the place where a particular species live and grow. ... For other uses, see Taiga (disambiguation). ... Timber in storage for later processing at a sawmill Timber is a term used to describe wood, either standing or that has been processed for useâ€”from the time trees are felled, to its end product as a material suitable for industrial useâ€”as structural material for construction or wood... For other uses, see Paper (disambiguation). ... Despite being fairly hard, cedar is a softwood Softwood is the wood from conifers. ...

Evolution

The earliest Conifers date back to the late Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) period. The Carboniferous is a major division of the geologic timescale that extends from the end of the Devonian period, about 359. ... The Pennsylvanian is an epoch of the Carboniferous period lasting from roughly 325 Ma to 299 Ma (million years ago). ...

Taxonomy and naming

The division name Pinophyta conforms with the rules of the ICBN, which state (Art 16.1) that the names of higher taxa in plants (above the rank of family) are either formed from the name of an included family, in this case Pinaceae (the pine family), or are descriptive. In the latter case the name for the conifers (at whatever rank is chosen) is Coniferae (Art 16 Ex 2), which is also in widespread use. Older scientific names (no longer allowed) are Coniferophyta and Coniferales. The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature is the set of rules according to which plants are given their formal botanical names (scientific names). ... A taxon (plural taxa), or taxonomic unit, is a grouping of organisms (named or unnamed). ... Genera Subfamily Pinoideae Pinus - pines (about 115 species) Subfamily Piceoideae Picea - spruces (about 35 species) Subfamily Laricoideae Cathaya (one species) Larix - larches (about 14 species) Pseudotsuga - douglas-firs (five species) Subfamily Abietoideae Abies - firs (about 50 species) Cedrus - cedars (two to four species) Pseudolarix - golden larch (one species) Keteleeria (three... For other uses, see Pine (disambiguation). ...

According to Article 16 of the ICBN such "descriptive botanical names" may be used at any rank above family. Alternatively, it is also possible to use a name formed by replacing the termination -aceae in the name of an included family, preferably Pinaceae, by the appropriate termination. Both are allowed. The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature is the set of rules according to which plants are given their formal botanical names (scientific names). ... Descriptive botanical names: Art 16 of the ICBN rules that names above the rank of family may be either descriptive or based on the name of an included genus. ... In botanical nomenclature, a taxon is usually assigned to a rank in a hierarchy. ... Genera Subfamily Pinoideae Pinus - pines (about 115 species) Subfamily Piceoideae Picea - spruces (about 35 species) Subfamily Laricoideae Cathaya (one species) Larix - larches (about 14 species) Pseudotsuga - douglas-firs (five species) Subfamily Abietoideae Abies - firs (about 50 species) Cedrus - cedars (two to four species) Pseudolarix - golden larch (one species) Keteleeria (three...

This means that if the conifers are regarded to be an order they may be called Coniferae or Pinales (but see also Coniferales); if regarded as a class they may be called Coniferae or Pinopsida; if regarded as a division they may be called Coniferae or Pinophyta. Families Pinaceae, pine family Araucariaceae, araucaria family Podocarpaceae, yellow-wood family Phyllocladaceae Sciadopityaceae, umbrella-pine family Cupressaceae, cypress family Cephalotaxaceae, plum-yew family Taxaceae, yew family The Order Pinales in the Division Pinophyta, Class Pinopsida comprises all the extant conifers. ...

Commonly the conifers are considered equivalent to the Gymnosperms, particularly in areas with a temperate climate where they may be the only commonly occurring gymnosperms. However, these are two different groupings; conifers are the largest and economically most important component group of the gymnosperms, but nevertheless they comprise only one of the four groups. Gymnosperms are seed-bearing, vascular plants. ...

The division Pinophyta consists of just one class, Pinopsida, which includes both living and fossil taxa. Subdivision of the living conifers into two or more orders has been proposed from time to time. The most commonly seen in the past was a split into two orders, Taxales (Taxaceae only) and Pinales (the rest), but recent research into DNA sequences suggests that this interpretation leaves the Pinales without Taxales as paraphyletic, and the latter order is no longer regarded as distinct. A more accurate subdivision would be to split the class into three orders, Pinales containing only Pinaceae, Araucariales containing Araucariaceae and Podocarpaceae, and Cupressales containing the remaining families (including Taxaceae), but there has not been any significant support for such a split, with the majority of opinion preferring retention of all the families within a single order Pinales, despite their antiquity and diverse morphology. The plant order Taxales was in the past treated as a distinct order in the division Pinophyta, class Pinopsida, and included only those species in the family Taxaceae, known commonly as yews. ... Families Pinaceae, pine family Araucariaceae, araucaria family Podocarpaceae, yellow-wood family Phyllocladaceae Sciadopityaceae, umbrella-pine family Cupressaceae, cypress family Cephalotaxaceae, plum-yew family Taxaceae, yew family The Order Pinales in the Division Pinophyta, Class Pinopsida comprises all the extant conifers. ... Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. ... Paraphyletic - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The term morphology in biology refers to the outward appearance (shape, structure, colour, pattern) of an organism or taxon and its component parts. ...

The conifers are now accepted as comprising six to eight families, with a total of 65-70 genera and 600-650 species. The seven most distinct families are linked in the box above right and phylogenetic diagram left. In other interpretations, the Cephalotaxaceae may be better included within the Taxaceae, and some authors additionally recognise Phyllocladaceae as distinct from Podocarpaceae (in which it is included here). The family Taxodiaceae is here included in family Cupressaceae, but was widely recognised in the past and can still be found in many field guides. Phylogeny of the Pinophyta, based on genetic analysis by Farjon (2003), Quinn & Price (2003) and Price (2003). ... Phylogeny of the Pinophyta, based on genetic analysis by Farjon (2003), Quinn & Price (2003) and Price (2003). ... Greek clados = branch) or phylogenetic systematics is a branch of biology that determines the evolutionary relationships of living things based on derived similarities. ... Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. ... Species Five; see text Phyllocladus is a small genus of conifers, now treated in the Family Podocarpaceae. ... The Taxodiaceae was at one time regarded as a distinct plant family comprising the following ten genera of coniferous trees: Athrotaxis Cryptomeria Cunninghamia Glyptostrobus Metasequoia Sciadopitys Sequoia Sequoiadendron Taiwania Taxodium However, recent research has shown that the Taxodiaceae, with the single exception of Sciadopitys, should be merged into the Family...

The conifers are an ancient group, with a fossil record extending back about 300 million years to the Paleozoic in the late Carboniferous period; even many of the modern genera are recognisable from fossils 60-120 million years old. Other classes and orders, now long extinct, also occur as fossils, particularly from the late Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras. Fossil conifers included many diverse forms, the most dramatically distinct from modern conifers being some herbaceous conifers with no woody stems. Major fossil orders of conifers or conifer-like plants include the Cordaitales, Vojnovskyales, Voltziales and perhaps also the Czekanowskiales (possibly more closely related to the Ginkgophyta).
For other uses, see Fossil (disambiguation). ... The Paleozoic Era (from the Greek palaio, old and zoion, animals, meaning ancient life) is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. ... The Carboniferous is a major division of the geologic timescale that extends from the end of the Devonian period, about 359. ... The Mesozoic Era is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. ... Herbs: basil Herbs (IPA: hÉ™()b, or É™b; see pronunciation differences) are seed-bearing plants without woody stems, which die down to the ground after flowering. ... Species G. biloba L. The Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba; éŠ€æ in Chinese), frequently misspelled as Gingko, and also known as the Maidenhair Tree, is a unique tree with no close living relatives. ...

Morphology

All living conifers are woody plants, and most are trees, the majority having monopodial growth form (a single, straight trunk with side branches) with strong apical dominance. The size of mature conifers varies from less than one meter, to over 100 metres. The world's tallest, largest, thickest and oldest living things are all conifers. The tallest is a Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), with a height of 115.2 metres. The largest is a Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), with a volume 1486.9 cubic metres. The thickest, or tree with the greatest trunk diameter, is a Montezuma Cypress (Taxodium mucronatum), 11.42 metres in diameter. The oldest is a Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva), 4,700 years old. Many conifers show particularly strong apical dominance, strongest of all in the family Araucariaceae, showing a single erect central trunk with strongly differentiated horizontal branching. ... This article is about the species commonly called Coast Redwood. For the species commonly called Giant Sequoia, see Sequoiadendron. ... Orders of magnitude (length) 1 E-13 m 1 E-12 m 1 E-11 m 1 E-10 m 1 E-9 m 1 E-8 m 1 E-7 m 1 E-6 m 1 E-5 m 1 E-4 m 1 E-3 m 1 E... Binomial name Sequoiadendron giganteum (Lindl. ... Binomial name Taxodium mucronatum Tenore Taxodium mucronatum, also known as Montezuma Cypress or Ahuehuete (in the Nahuatl language), is a species of Taxodium native to much of Mexico (south to the highlands of southern Mexico), and also southernmost Texas, USA (just entering the state in the lower Rio Grande valley). ... Binomial name Pinus longaeva D.K.Bailey The Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva) is one of the bristlecone pines, a group of three species of pine found in the higher mountains of the southwest United States. ...

Foliage

The leaves of many conifers are long, thin and needle-like, but others, including most of the Cupressaceae and some of the Podocarpaceae, have flat, triangular scale-like leaves. Some, notably Agathis in Araucariaceae and Nageia in Podocarpaceae, have broad, flat strap-shaped leaves. In the majority of conifers, the leaves are arranged spirally, exceptions being most of Cupressaceae and one genus in Podocarpaceae, where they are arranged in decussate opposite pairs or whorls of 3 (-4). In many species with spirally arranged leaves, the leaf bases are twisted to present the leaves in a flat plane for maximum light capture (see e.g. photo of Grand Fir Abies grandis). Leaf size varies from 2 mm in many scale-leaved species, up to 400 mm long in the needles of some pines (e.g. Apache Pine Pinus engelmannii). The stomata are in lines or patches on the leaves, and can be closed when it is very dry or cold. The leaves are often dark green in colour which may help absorb a maximum of energy from weak sunshine at high latitudes or under forest canopy shade. Conifers from hotter areas with high sunlight levels (e.g. Turkish Pine Pinus brutia) often have yellower-green leaves, while others (e.g. Blue Spruce Picea pungens) have a very strong glaucous wax bloom to reflect ultraviolet light. In the great majority of genera the leaves are evergreen, usually remaining on the plant for several (2-40) years before falling, but five genera (Larix, Pseudolarix, Glyptostrobus, Metasequoia and Taxodium) are deciduous, shedding the leaves in autumn and leafless through the winter. The seedlings of many conifers, including most of the Cupressaceae, and Pinus in Pinaceae, have a distinct juvenile foliage period where the leaves are different, often markedly so, from the typical adult leaves. Download high resolution version (600x800, 134 KB)Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga) branch close up. ... Download high resolution version (600x800, 134 KB)Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga) branch close up. ... Genera Subfamily Pinoideae Pinus - pines (about 115 species) Subfamily Piceoideae Picea - spruces (about 35 species) Subfamily Laricoideae Cathaya (one species) Larix - larches (about 14 species) Pseudotsuga - douglas-firs (five species) Subfamily Abietoideae Abies - firs (about 50 species) Cedrus - cedars (two to four species) Pseudolarix - golden larch (one species) Keteleeria (three... Binomial name Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb. ... Lawsons Cypress foliage (enlarged; scale in mm) - photo User:MPF File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Lawsons Cypress foliage (enlarged; scale in mm) - photo User:MPF File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Genera Actinostrobus Athrotaxis Austrocedrus Callitris - Cypress-pine Callitropsis - Cypress * (Cupressus) Calocedrus - Incense-cedar Chamaecyparis - Cypress Cryptomeria - Sugi Cunninghamia - Cunninghamia Cupressus - Cypress Diselma - Diselma Fitzroya - Alerce Fokienia - Fujian Cypress Glyptostrobus - Chinese Swamp Cypress Juniperus - Juniper Libocedrus Metasequoia - Dawn Redwood Microbiota - Microbiota Neocallitropsis Papuacedrus * (Libocedrus) Pilgerodendron * (Libocedrus) Platycladus - Chinese Arborvitae Sequoia - Coast... Binomial name Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (A. Murray) Parl. ... Look up foliage in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Genera Actinostrobus Athrotaxis Austrocedrus Callitris - Cypress-pine Callitropsis - Cypress * (Cupressus) Calocedrus - Incense-cedar Chamaecyparis - Cypress Cryptomeria - Sugi Cunninghamia - Cunninghamia Cupressus - Cypress Diselma - Diselma Fitzroya - Alerce Fokienia - Fujian Cypress Glyptostrobus - Chinese Swamp Cypress Juniperus - Juniper Libocedrus Metasequoia - Dawn Redwood Microbiota - Microbiota Neocallitropsis Papuacedrus * (Libocedrus) Pilgerodendron * (Libocedrus) Platycladus - Chinese Arborvitae Sequoia - Coast... Genera Acmopyle Afrocarpus Dacrycarpus Dacrydium Falcatifolium Halocarpus Lagarostrobos Lepidothamnus Manoao Microcachrys Microstrobos Nageia Parasitaxus Phyllocladus Podocarpus Prumnopitys Retrophyllum Saxegothaea Sundacarpus A large family of mainly Southern Hemisphere conifers, with 18-19 genera and about 170-200 species of evergreen trees and shrubs. ... Species See text The genus Agathis, commonly known as kauri or dammar forms a relatively small group of 21 species of evergreen trees in the family Araucariaceae, characteristically with very large trunks and little or no branching for some way up. ... species Nageia is a genus of conifers belonging to the Podocarp family, Podocarpaceae. ... Binomial name Abies grandis (Douglas ex D. Don) Lindley Grand Fir or Giant Fir (Abies grandis) is a fir native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, occurring at altitudes of sea level to 1,800 m. ... Binomial name Pinus engelmannii The Apache Pine (Pinus engelmannii) is a tree of Northern Mexico, in the Sierra Madre Occidental with its range extending a short distance into the United States in southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona. ... This is not about surgically created bowel openings; see stoma (medicine) In botany, a stoma (also stomate; plural stomata) is a tiny opening or pore, found mostly on the undersurface of a plant leaf, and used for gas exchange. ... This article is about the geographical term. ... Binomial name Pinus brutia Tenore The Turkish Pine (Pinus brutia) is a pine native to the eastern Mediterranean region. ... Binomial name Picea pungens Engelm. ... Note: Ultraviolet is also the name of a 1998 UK television miniseries about vampires. ... â€¹ The template below (Expand) is being considered for deletion. ... For other uses, see Larch (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Pseudolarix amabilis (Nelson) Rehder Pseudolarix is a monotypic genus in the family Pinaceae. ... Binomial name Glyptostrobus pensilis (Staunton) K.Koch Glyptostrobus pensilis, also known as Chinese Swamp Cypress, is the sole living species in the genus Glyptostrobus. ... Binomial name Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu & Cheng Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn Redwood) is a fast growing tree in the conifer family Cupressaceae (Taxaceae or Taxodiaceae by others)native to the Sichuan-Hubei region of China. ... Species Taxodium ascendens - Pond Cypress Taxodium distichum - Bald Cypress Taxodium mucronatum - Montezuma Cypress Taxodium is a genus of one to three species (depending on taxonomic opinion) of extremely flood-tolerant conifers in the cypress family, Cupressaceae, one of several genera in the family commonly known as cypresses. ... Deciduous means temporary or tending to fall off (deriving from the Latin word decidere, to fall off) and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally. ...

Reproduction

See conifer cones for a more detailed discussion. Photo of a spruce cone from the GIMP photolibrary Uploaded for the conifer article. ... Photo of a spruce cone from the GIMP photolibrary Uploaded for the conifer article. ... Binomial name Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2072x1554, 1704 KB) Summary Pollen cone of Larix kaempferi found near Cardiff, UK. Image by Yummifruitbat in April 2005, using an Olympus C-750UZ. Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2072x1554, 1704 KB) Summary Pollen cone of Larix kaempferi found near Cardiff, UK. Image by Yummifruitbat in April 2005, using an Olympus C-750UZ. Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other... Binomial name Larix kaempferi (Lamb. ... Mature female European Black Pine cone Male cones of a pine A cone (in formal botanical usage: strobilus, plural strobili) is an organ on plants in the division Pinophyta (conifers) that contains the reproductive structures. ...

Most conifers are monoecious, but some are subdioecious or dioecious; all are wind-pollinated. Conifer seeds develop inside a protective cone called a strobilus (or, very loosely, "pine cones", which technically occur only on pines, not other conifers!). The cones take from four months to three years to reach maturity, and vary in size from 2 mm to 600 mm long. In Pinaceae, Araucariaceae, Sciadopityaceae and most Cupressaceae, the cones are woody, and when mature the scales usually spread open allowing the seeds to fall out and be dispersed by the wind. In some (e.g. firs and cedars), the cones disintegrate to release the seeds, and in others (e.g. the pines that produce pine nuts) the nut-like seeds are dispersed by birds (mainly nutcrackers and jays) which break up the specially adapted softer cones. Ripe cones may remain on the plant for a varied amount of time before falling to the ground; in some fire-adapted pines, the seeds may be stored in closed cones for up to 60-80 years, being released only when a fire kills the parent tree. Close-up of an Echinopsis spachiana flower, showing both carpels and stamen, making it a complete flower. ... Close-up of an Echinopsis spachiana flower, showing both carpels and stamen, making it a complete flower. ... Close-up of an Echinopsis spachiana flower, showing both carpels and stamen, making it a complete flower. ... For other uses, see Wind (disambiguation). ... Carpenter bee with pollen collected from Night-blooming cereus Pollination is an important step in the reproduction of seed plants: the transfer of pollen grains (male gametes) to the plant carpel, the structure that contains the ovule (female gamete). ... Genera Subfamily Pinoideae Pinus - pines (about 115 species) Subfamily Piceoideae Picea - spruces (about 35 species) Subfamily Laricoideae Cathaya (one species) Larix - larches (about 14 species) Pseudotsuga - douglas-firs (five species) Subfamily Abietoideae Abies - firs (about 50 species) Cedrus - cedars (two to four species) Pseudolarix - golden larch (one species) Keteleeria (three... Genera Agathis Araucaria Wollemia The Araucariaceae are a very ancient family of conifers. ... Binomial name Sciadopitys verticillata The Koyamaki (Sciadopitys verticillata) or Japanese Umbrella-pine, is a unique conifer endemic to Japan. ... Genera Actinostrobus Athrotaxis Austrocedrus Callitris - Cypress-pine Callitropsis - Cypress * (Cupressus) Calocedrus - Incense-cedar Chamaecyparis - Cypress Cryptomeria - Sugi Cunninghamia - Cunninghamia Cupressus - Cypress Diselma - Diselma Fitzroya - Alerce Fokienia - Fujian Cypress Glyptostrobus - Chinese Swamp Cypress Juniperus - Juniper Libocedrus Metasequoia - Dawn Redwood Microbiota - Microbiota Neocallitropsis Papuacedrus * (Libocedrus) Pilgerodendron * (Libocedrus) Platycladus - Chinese Arborvitae Sequoia - Coast... For other uses, see Wood (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Wind (disambiguation). ... FIR may stand for: finite impulse response (a property of some digital filters) far infrared, i. ... Species Cedrus deodara Cedrus libani var. ... For other uses, see Pine (disambiguation). ... Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pine trees (family Pinaceae, genus Pinus). ... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... Species Nucifraga caryocatactes Nucifraga columbiana The nutcrackers (Nucifraga) are a genus of two species of passerine bird, in the family Corvidae, related to the jays and crows. ... Genera Garrulus Podoces Ptilostomus Perisoreus Aphelocoma Gymnorhinus Cyanocitta Calocitta Cyanocorax Cyanolyca The jays are several species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy passerine birds in the crow family Corvidae. ...

In the families Podocarpaceae, Cephalotaxaceae, Taxaceae, and one Cupressaceae genus (Juniperus), the scales are soft, fleshy, sweet and brightly coloured, and are eaten by fruit-eating birds, which then pass the seeds in their droppings. These fleshy scales are (except in Juniperus) known as arils. In some of these conifers (e.g. most Podocarpaceae), the cone consists of several fused scales, while in others (e.g. Taxaceae), the cone is reduced to just one seed scale or (e.g. Cephalotaxaceae) the several scales of a cone develop into individual arils, giving the appearance of a cluster of berries. Yew leaves, and mature and immature cones - photo User:MPF File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Yew leaves, and mature and immature cones - photo User:MPF File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Binomial name L. Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. ... Genera Acmopyle Afrocarpus Dacrycarpus Dacrydium Falcatifolium Halocarpus Lagarostrobos Lepidothamnus Manoao Microcachrys Microstrobos Nageia Parasitaxus Phyllocladus Podocarpus Prumnopitys Retrophyllum Saxegothaea Sundacarpus A large family of mainly Southern Hemisphere conifers, with 18-19 genera and about 170-200 species of evergreen trees and shrubs. ... Genera Cephalotaxus Amentotaxus Torreya Species Cephalotaxus fortunei Cephalotaxus griffithii Cephalotaxus hainanensis Cephalotaxus harringtonia Cephalotaxus koreana Cephalotaxus lanceolata Cephalotaxus latifolia Cephalotaxus manni Cephalotaxus oliveri Cephalotaxus sinensis Cephalotaxus wilsoniana Amentotaxus argotaenia Amentotaxus assamica Amentotaxus formosana Amentotaxus poilanei Amentotaxus yunnanensis Torreya californica Torreya fargesii Torreya grandis Torreya jackii Torreya nucifera Torreya taxifolia The... Genera Taxaceae sensu stricto Taxus Pseudotaxus Austrotaxus — Cephalotaxaceae Torreya Amentotaxus Cephalotaxus The family Taxaceae, commonly called the yew family, includes three genera and about 7 to 12 species of coniferous plants, or in other interpretations (see Classification, below), six genera and about 30 species. ... Genera Actinostrobus Athrotaxis Austrocedrus Callitris - Cypress-pine Callitropsis - Cypress * (Cupressus) Calocedrus - Incense-cedar Chamaecyparis - Cypress Cryptomeria - Sugi Cunninghamia - Cunninghamia Cupressus - Cypress Diselma - Diselma Fitzroya - Alerce Fokienia - Fujian Cypress Glyptostrobus - Chinese Swamp Cypress Juniperus - Juniper Libocedrus Metasequoia - Dawn Redwood Microbiota - Microbiota Neocallitropsis Papuacedrus * (Libocedrus) Pilgerodendron * (Libocedrus) Platycladus - Chinese Arborvitae Sequoia - Coast... Species Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. ... Mature and immature arils of Taxus baccata, a European yew. ...

The male cones have structures called microsporangia which produce yellowish pollen. Pollen is released and carried by the wind to female cones. Pollen grains from living pinophyte species produce pollen tubes, much like those of angiosperms. When a pollen grain lands near a female gametophyte, it undergoes meiosis and fertilizes the female gametophyte. The resulting zygote develops into an embryo, which along with its surrounding integument, becomes a seed. Eventually the seed may fall to the ground and, if conditions permit, grows into a new plant. A sporangium (pl. ... SEM image of pollen grains from a variety of common plants: sunflower (Helianthus annuus), morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea), prairie hollyhock (Sidalcea malviflora), oriental lily (Lilium auratum), evening primrose (Oenothera fruticosa), and castor bean (Ricinus communis). ... SEM image of pollen grains from a variety of common plants: sunflower (Helianthus annuus), morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea), prairie hollyhock (Sidalcea malviflora), oriental lily (Lilium auratum), evening primrose (Oenothera fruticosa), and castor bean (Ricinus communis). ... In plants that undergo alternation of generations, a gametophyte is the structure, or phase of life, that contains only half of the total complement of chromosomes: The sporophyte produces spores, in a process called meiosis. ... Not to be confused with miosis. ... It has been suggested that Biparental zygote be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Embryo (disambiguation). ... A ripe red jalapeÃ±o cut open to show the seeds For other uses, see Seed (disambiguation). ...

In forestry, the terminology of flowering plants has commonly though inaccurately been applied to cone-bearing trees as well. The male cone and unfertilized female cone are called "male flower" and "female flower", respectively. After fertilization, the female cone is termed "fruit", which undergoes "ripening" (maturation). A decidous beech forest in Slovenia. ... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of land plants. ...

Life cycle

SEM image of pollen grains from a variety of common plants: sunflower (Helianthus annuus), morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea), prairie hollyhock (Sidalcea malviflora), oriental lily (Lilium auratum), evening primrose (Oenothera fruticosa), and castor bean (Ricinus communis). ... It has been suggested that Biparental zygote be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Embryo (disambiguation). ... A ripe red jalapeÃ±o cut open to show the seeds For other uses, see Seed (disambiguation). ...

Other facts

Although the total number of species is relatively small, conifers are of immense ecological importance. They are the dominant plants over huge areas of land, most notably the boreal forests of the northern hemisphere, but also in similar cool climates in mountains further south. Young pine trees. ... Young pine trees. ... ... For the journal, see Ecology (journal). ... Taiga (SAMPA /taIg@/, from Russian тайга́) is a biome characterized by its coniferous forests. ... Northern hemisphere highlighted in yellow. ...

Many conifers have distinctly scented resin, secreted to protect the tree against insect infestation and fungal infection of wounds. Fossilised resin hardens into amber. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... Subkingdom/Phyla Chytridiomycota Blastocladiomycota Neocallimastigomycota Glomeromycota Zygomycota Dikarya (inc. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

External links

Categories: Articles with sections needing expansion | Conifers The hierarchy of scientific classification In biological classification, family (Latin: familia, plural familiae) is a rank, or a taxon in that rank. ... Genera Subfamily Pinoideae Pinus - pines (about 115 species) Subfamily Piceoideae Picea - spruces (about 35 species) Subfamily Laricoideae Cathaya (one species) Larix - larches (about 14 species) Pseudotsuga - douglas-firs (five species) Subfamily Abietoideae Abies - firs (about 50 species) Cedrus - cedars (two to four species) Pseudolarix - golden larch (one species) Keteleeria (three... Genera Agathis Araucaria Wollemia The Araucariaceae are a very ancient family of conifers. ... Genera Acmopyle Afrocarpus Dacrycarpus Dacrydium Falcatifolium Halocarpus Lagarostrobos Lepidothamnus Manoao Microcachrys Microstrobos Nageia Parasitaxus Phyllocladus Podocarpus Prumnopitys Retrophyllum Saxegothaea Sundacarpus A large family of mainly Southern Hemisphere conifers, with 18-19 genera and about 170-200 species of evergreen trees and shrubs. ... Binomial name (Thunb. ... Genera Actinostrobus Athrotaxis Austrocedrus Callitris - Cypress-pine Callitropsis - Cypress * (Cupressus) Calocedrus - Incense-cedar Chamaecyparis - Cypress Cryptomeria - Sugi Cunninghamia - Cunninghamia Cupressus - Cypress Diselma - Diselma Fitzroya - Alerce Fokienia - Fujian Cypress Glyptostrobus - Chinese Swamp Cypress Juniperus - Juniper Libocedrus Metasequoia - Dawn Redwood Microbiota - Microbiota Neocallitropsis Papuacedrus * (Libocedrus) Pilgerodendron * (Libocedrus) Platycladus - Chinese Arborvitae Sequoia - Coast... Genera Cephalotaxus Amentotaxus Torreya Species Cephalotaxus fortunei Cephalotaxus griffithii Cephalotaxus hainanensis Cephalotaxus harringtonia Cephalotaxus koreana Cephalotaxus lanceolata Cephalotaxus latifolia Cephalotaxus manni Cephalotaxus oliveri Cephalotaxus sinensis Cephalotaxus wilsoniana Amentotaxus argotaenia Amentotaxus assamica Amentotaxus formosana Amentotaxus poilanei Amentotaxus yunnanensis Torreya californica Torreya fargesii Torreya grandis Torreya jackii Torreya nucifera Torreya taxifolia The... Genera Taxaceae sensu stricto Taxus Pseudotaxus Austrotaxus — Cephalotaxaceae Torreya Amentotaxus Cephalotaxus The family Taxaceae, commonly called the yew family, includes three genera and about 7 to 12 species of coniferous plants, or in other interpretations (see Classification, below), six genera and about 30 species. ...

Contents