Flora of New Zealand Series

SYNOPSIS OF GYMNOSPERMAE

• I. Class CONIFEROPSIDA. 
• • Trees and shrubs, usually evergreen, sometimes deciduous, usually monoecious, sometimes dioecious; lvs spirally arranged or opposite, scale-like, needle-like, linear, linear-lanceolate, sometimes lanceolate to elliptic or broadly ovate; ♂ strobili usually ± catkin-like, sometimes very short, small to large; pollen sacs 2-numerous; pollen winged or wingless, often with bladders; ♀ strobili forming a conelet, with few to many, spirally arranged or opposite scales, sometimes with distinct bracts as well on a very short to long axis; ovules few to many (2-9 per scale); fr. a cone, small to very large, usually woody or leathery, sometimes scales fleshy; seeds usually 1-2-(20) per scale, often winged, sometimes wingless:
  • AraucariaceaeCupressaceaePinaceaeTaxodiaceae
• II. Class TAXOPSIDA 
• • Trees and shrubs, evergreen, dioecious or monoecious; lvs spirally arranged or occasionally opposite, usually needle-like, linear to lanceolate, oblanceolate or occasionally wider, sometimes scale-like; ♂ strobili short and ± catkin-like to globose, small; pollen sacs 2-8; pollen winged or wingless, often with bladders. ♀ strobili reduced and not cone-like; scales sterile, few and very reduced, on a very short receptacle stalk or axis; ovules 1-many with 1-(2) developing, seated on the receptacle; fr. ± fleshy, small, the single seed either surrounded by a fleshy aril or immersed in a fleshy receptacle or fleshy scales (epimatium), sometimes the outer seed coat fleshy instead; seed 1, wingless:
  • Cephalotaxaceae (cultivated only) PodocarpaceaeTaxaceae