a family of plants widely distributed, usually evergreen, coniferous trees and shrubs having small, flattened, scalelike or sometimes needle-like leaves and including the cypress, juniper, and arborvitae.

the cypress family (order Pinales). A plant family of evergreen ornamental and timber shrubs and trees, distributed throughout the world. The leaves of these plants are opposite or whorled and usually paired or in threes. Adult leaves are narrow, scalelike, and pressed against the branchlets, which themselves are often flattened. Awllike juvenile and transitional leaves are often present on mature trees. The male reproductive structures are borne at the ends of short twigs; the female structures (cones) are terminal, with opposite or whorled scales, consisting of both a fused bract (modified leaf) and a scale. The cones, usually woody, have erect ovules.

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Britannica Editors. "Cupressaceae". Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Jun. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/plant/Cupressaceae. Accessed 20 August 2026.