ABSTRACT
Coniferous trees or shrubs, with scale-like leaves that are persistent and arranged opposite or acicular, subulate, arranged in whorls. The flowers are unisexual, small, terminal or axillary, borne on short shoots, either on the same plant (monoecious) or on separate plants (dioecious – in Juniperus). Male flowers are arranged terminally or axillary, and their structure includes stamens with short filaments and shield-shaped anthers horizontally positioned, each bearing 3–5 pollen sacs on the lower margin. Female flowers form small, rounded cones with a few carpels completely fused with bracts. Each carpel contains 2–20 atropous ovules (erect and adnate only at their carpel base). Both stamens and carpels are arranged opposite, except in Juniperus, where they are arranged in whorls. After flower development, a strobile is formed surrounded by fleshy or woody scaly bracts, either free or fused, valvate, or imbricate. 1 – 4
