| Noun | 1. | gymnosperm family - a family of gymnosperms class Gymnospermae, division Gymnospermophyta, Gymnospermae, Gymnospermophyta - plants having naked seeds not enclosed in an ovary; in some systems considered a class (Gymnospermae) and in others a division (Gymnospermophyta); comprises three subdivisions (or classes): Cycadophytina (class Cycadopsida) and Gnetophytina (class Gnetopsida) and Coniferophytina (class Coniferopsida); in some classifications the Coniferophytina are divided into three groups: Pinophytina (class Pinopsida) and Ginkgophytina (class Ginkgopsida) and Taxophytina (class Taxopsida) family Gnetaceae, Gnetaceae - plants having small unisexual flowers and fleshy or winged fruit: in some classifications includes the genera Ephedra and Welwitschia as well as genus Gnetum Ephedraceae, family Ephedraceae - ephedras: in some classifications included in the Gnetaceae family Welwitschiaceae, Welwitschiaceae - in some classifications included in the Gnetaceae cycad family, Cycadaceae, family Cycadaceae - ancient palmlike plants closely related to ferns in that fertilization is by means of spermatozoids family Zamiaceae, zamia family, Zamiaceae - a family of cycads often included in the family Cycadaceae: zamias Bennettitaceae, family Bennettitaceae - a family of fossil gymnospermous plants of the Carboniferous Cordaitaceae, family Cordaitaceae - chiefly Paleozoic plants; Cordaites is the chief and typical genus redwood family, subfamily Taxodiaceae, Taxodiaceae - coniferous trees; traditionally considered an independent family though recently included in Cupressaceae in some classification systems araucaria family, Araucariaceae, family Araucariaceae - tall evergreen cone-bearing trees of South America and Australia with broad leathery leaves; in some classifications included in the Pinaceae family Phyllocladaceae, Phyllocladaceae - a family of Phyllocladaceae family Podocarpaceae, Podocarpaceae, podocarpus family - gymnosperms with simple persistent needlelike or scalelike leaves family Sciadopityaceae, Sciadopityaceae - family comprising a single genus that until recently was considered part of Taxodiaceae family Ginkgoaceae, ginkgo family, Ginkgoaceae - constituting the order Ginkgoales; includes the genus Ginkgo and extinct forms plant family - a family of plants |