Taxodiaceae
The Taxodiaceae were at one time regarded as a distinct plant family comprising the following ten genera of coniferous trees:
- Athrotaxis
- Cryptomeria
- Cunninghamia
- †Cunninghamites
- Glyptostrobus
- Metasequoia
- Sciadopitys
- Sequoia
- Sequoiadendron
- Taiwania
- Taxodium
However, recent research has shown that the Taxodiaceae, with the single exception of Sciadopitys, should be merged into the family Cupressaceae.[citation needed] There are no consistent characters by which they can be separated, and genetic evidence demonstrates close relationships; this merging is now becoming widely accepted.[citation needed]
The one exception, the genus Sciadopitys, is genetically very distinct from all other conifers, and now treated in a family of its own, Sciadopityaceae.
As proposed, genera of the former Taxodiaceae are grouped in the following subfamilies within the larger Cupressaceae:
- Athrotaxidoideae Quinn (Athrotaxis)
- Cunninghamioideae (Sieb. & Zucc.) Quinn (Cunninghamia)
- Sequoioideae (Luerss.) Quinn (Sequoia, Sequoiadendron, and Metasequoia)
- Taiwanioideae (Hayata) Quinn (Taiwania)
- Taxodioideae Endl. ex K. Koch (Taxodium, Glyptostrobus, and Cryptomeria)[1]
Evolution
In earth's history Taxodiaceae were widespread. They are known since the Jurassic and can be found as fossil e.g. in layers from Tertiary times.