coniferous

American  

[koh-nif-er-uhs, kuh-] / koʊˈnɪf ər əs, kə- /

adjective

Botany.

1. belonging or pertaining to the conifers.

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coniferous British  

/ kɒ-, kəˈnɪfərəs /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the plant phylum Coniferophyta See conifer

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Etymology

Origin of coniferous

First recorded in 1655–65; conifer, -ous

Explanation

Anything that's coniferous has to do with trees or shrubs that grow pinecones. If you celebrate Christmas, you might observe the holiday by decorating a coniferous tree with lights and ornaments. The adjective coniferous is used to describe conifers, woody evergreens that have cones and needles rather than leaves. Coniferous forests and taigas are full of these trees, including pines, hemlocks, junipers, and firs. Whenever you see a pinecone, you can be sure it came from a coniferous tree or shrub. The Latin source of coniferous means "cone-bearing," from roots conus, "cone," and ferre, "to carry."

Example Sentences

One example of this is found in mixed forests, which contain coniferous evergreen tree species whose ancestors lived over 300 million years ago.

From Science Daily • Dec. 3, 2024

These results are applicable to California, which also has coniferous forest and relies on snowpack to provide moisture during the relatively drier summer seasons, Fairfax said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2024

Despite its gruesome appearance, this mushroom is beneficial for the coniferous trees it colonizes.

From Salon • Apr. 30, 2023

In the Pacific Northwest, they compete with the threatened spotted owl in old-growth coniferous forest.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 30, 2022

Cloud Pond was a couple of hundred acres of exquisitely peaceful water surrounded by dark coniferous forest, the treetops pointy black silhouettes against a pale blue evening sky.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson