Pinophyta Temporal range: Carboniferous – Recent |
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Conifer forests, though comprising few species, cover vast areas, as in this forest in the Cascade Range of western North America. | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Spermatophyta |
(unranked): | Gymnospermae |
Division: | Pinophyta |
Class: | Pinopsida |
Orders and families | |
Cordaitales † |
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Synonyms | |
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Cordaitales †
Pinales
Pinaceae—Pine family
Araucariaceae—Araucaria family
Podocarpaceae—Yellow-wood family
Sciadopityaceae—Umbrella-pine family
Cupressaceae—Cypress family
Cephalotaxaceae—Plum-yew family
Taxaceae—Yew family
Vojnovskyales †
Voltziales †
The Pinophyta, also known as Coniferophyta or Coniferae, or commonly as conifers, are a division of vascular land plants containing a single class, Pinopsida. They are gymnosperms, cone-bearing seed plants. All extant conifers are perennial woody plants with secondary growth. The great majority are trees, though a few are shrubs. Examples include cedars, Douglas firs, cypresses, firs, junipers, kauri, larches, pines, hemlocks, redwoods, spruces, and yews. As of 1998, the division Pinophyta was estimated to contain eight families, 68 genera, and 629 living species.