A phylum of seed-bearing plants comprising the conifers, including the pines, firs, and spruces. Conifers have an extensive fossil record going back to the late Devonian. The gametes are carried in male and female cones, fertilization usually being achieved by wind-borne pollen. The ovules and the seeds into which they develop are borne unprotected (rather than enclosed in a carpel, as are those of the Anthophyta). Internal tissue and cell structure of these species is not as advanced as in the angiosperms. Conifers are typically evergreen trees inhabiting cool temperate regions and have leaves reduced to needles or scales. The wood of conifers, which is called softwood in contrast to the hardwood of angiosperm trees, is widely used for timber and pulp. See also gymnosperm.

http://www.tolweb.org/Conifers/20634 Illustrated survey of conifer biology from the Tree of Life web project