EVOLUTION OF CONIFER FOLIAGE IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

Fossil and living Southern Hemisphere conifers display a wide range of leaf morphology and phyllotaxy. This seems to be related to their broad ecological niche (e.g., forest emergent, open vegetation, closed forest understorey) and to associated problems of light capture and increasing aridity. Changing temperature regimes have probably also been important in limiting many conifers to tropical latitudes.