Editing Conifer (section)

{{Short description|Group of cone-bearing seed plants}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{EngvarB|date = June 2022}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = {{fossil range|307|0}}[[Carboniferous]]–[[Holocene|Present]]
| image = Sapins pectinés.jpg
| image_caption = Large conifer [[forest]] composed of ''[[Abies alba]]'' at [[Vosges]], Eastern [[France]]
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Pinopsida
| authority = 
| subdivision_ranks = Subclasses, orders, and families
| subdivision = * [[Cupressidae]]
** [[Araucariales]]
*** [[Araucariaceae]]
*** [[Podocarpaceae]]
** [[Cupressales]]
*** [[Sciadopityaceae]]
*** [[Cupressaceae]]
*** [[Taxaceae]]
* [[Pinidae]]
** [[Pinales]]
*** [[Pinaceae]]
*** [[Cheirolepidiaceae]] †
*** [[Arctopityaceae]] †
* [[Gnetophyta|Gnetidae]]?
** [[Gnetum|Gnetaceae]]
** [[Welwitschia]]ceae
** [[Ephedra (plant)|Ephedraceae]]
* [[Palissyales]] †
* [[Voltziales]] †
*[[Cordaitales]] †
| synonyms = * Coniferophyta
* Coniferae
* Pinophytina
}}

'''Conifers''' ({{IPA|ˈkɒnɪfər}}) are a group of [[conifer cone|cone-bearing]] [[Spermatophyte|seed plants]], a subset of [[gymnosperm]]s. Scientifically, they make up the [[phylum|division]] '''Pinophyta''' ({{IPAc-en|p|ɪ|ˈ|n|ɒ|f|ᵻ|t|ə|,_|ˈ|p|aɪ|n|oʊ|f|aɪ|t|ə}}), also known as '''Coniferophyta''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|k|ɒ|n|ᵻ|f|ə|ˈ|r|ɒ|f|ᵻ|t|ə|,_|-|oʊ|f|aɪ|t|ə}}) or '''Coniferae'''. The division contains a single extant [[class (biology)|class]], '''Pinopsida'''. All [[Neontology|extant]] conifers are [[perennial plant|perennial]] [[woody plant]]s with [[secondary growth]].{{Efn|This depends on the placement of [[Gnetophytes]], which have been traditionally excluded from the conifers, though recent molecular evidence suggest gnetophytes are the sister to the Pinaceae. See text for details.}} The majority are [[tree]]s, though a few are [[shrub]]s. Examples include [[Cedrus|cedars]], [[Pseudotsuga|Douglas-firs]], [[Cupressaceae|cypresses]], [[fir]]s, [[juniper]]s, [[Agathis|kauri]], [[larch]]es, [[pine]]s, [[Tsuga|hemlocks]], [[Sequoioideae|redwoods]], [[spruce]]s, and [[Taxaceae|yews]].<ref name="Campbell-2005">Campbell, Reece, "Phylum Coniferophyta". ''Biology''. 7th ed. 2005. Print. p. 595.</ref> As of 2002,{{Update inline|date=December 2024}} Pinophyta contained seven families, 60 to 65 genera, and more than 600 living species.

Although the total number of species is relatively small, conifers are [[ecology|ecologically]] important. They are the dominant plants over large areas of land, most notably the [[taiga]] of the [[Northern Hemisphere]], but also in similar cool climates in mountains further south. Boreal conifers have many wintertime adaptations. The narrow conical shape of northern conifers, and their downward-drooping limbs, help them shed snow. Many of them seasonally alter their biochemistry to make them more resistant to freezing. While [[tropical rainforest]]s have more [[biodiversity]] and turnover, the immense conifer forests of the world represent the largest terrestrial [[carbon sink]]. Conifers are of great economic value for [[softwood]] [[lumber]] and [[paper]] production.