Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Pinopsida (Conifers)

Pinopsida, the conifers, is a class containing gymnosperms, most of which produce seeds within cones. They usually have needle-shaped or scaly leaves and most are evergreen. Conifers are mostly large trees, with a few species that are small shrubs. The giant Californian Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) can grow to more than 100 metres tall making it the worlds tallest tree. All living conifers are woody plants. Most have a single, straight trunk with side branches, often downward drooping, and a strong apical dominance giving them a shape that helps them shed snow. Many conifers also have distinctly scented resin which the tree produces to protect itself against insect infestation and fungal infection of wounds. Fossilised resin is known as amber. Although there are only about 630 species of conifers, they are of immense ecological importance and dominate vast areas of land, in particular the boreal forests of the northern hemisphere.