Johnson Kate M, Brown Matilda J M, Bandow Katya I, Vallicrosa Helena
Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE, UK.
New Phytol. 2025 Jul;247(1):33-39. doi: 10.1111/nph.70136. Epub 2025 Apr 22.
In plant science research and modelling, particularly from the northern hemisphere, the terms 'needle-leaved' and 'conifer' along with 'broad-leaved' and 'angiosperm' are often used synonymously, creating the false dichotomy that conifers are needle-leaved and angiosperms are broad-leaved. While these equivalences may be largely correct in the temperate northern hemisphere, they do not hold true in equatorial and southern hemisphere forests. Confounding needle-leaved conifers and broad-leaved angiosperms presents significant issues in empirical research and modelling. Here, we highlight the likely origins and impacts of misusing conifer-related terminology, the misinterpretation that ensues and its implications. We identify the issue of a focus on Pinaceae and coin the term 'Pinaceae panacea' to describe this. We provide recommendations for future research: from standardising the use of definitions to shifting away from using Pinaceae as a model group for all conifers.
在植物科学研究与建模中，特别是在北半球，“针叶树”和“针叶的”以及“阔叶树”和“被子植物”这些术语经常被同义使用，造成了针叶树是针叶的而被子植物是阔叶的这种错误二分法。虽然这些等同关系在北半球温带地区可能大体正确，但在赤道和南半球森林中并不成立。将针叶针叶树和阔叶被子植物混淆在实证研究和建模中会带来重大问题。在此，我们强调滥用与针叶树相关术语可能的起源和影响、随之产生的误解及其含义。我们指出专注于松科的问题，并创造了“松科万能药”这一术语来描述它。我们为未来研究提供建议：从规范定义的使用到不再将松科用作所有针叶树的模型类群。
