Pseudotsuga

Pseudotsuga /ˌsjuːdoʊˈtsuːɡə/ is a genus of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Pinaceae. Common names include Douglas fir, Douglas-fir, Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. Pseudotsuga menziesii is widespread in western North America and is an important source of timber. The number of species has long been debated, but two in western North America and two to four in eastern Asia are commonly acknowledged. Nineteenth-century botanists had problems in classifying Douglas-firs, due to the species' similarity to various other conifers better known at the time; they have at times been classified in Pinus, Picea, Abies, Tsuga, and even Sequoia. Because of their distinctive cones, Douglas-firs were finally placed in the new genus Pseudotsuga (meaning "false hemlock") by the French botanist Carrière in 1867. The genus name has also been hyphenated as Pseudo-tsuga.

Name

The common name Douglas-fir honors David Douglas, the Scottish botanist who first introduced Pseudotsuga menziesii into cultivation at Scone Palace in 1827. Douglas is known for introducing many North American native conifers to Europe. The hyphen in the name indicates that Douglas-firs are not true firs, not being members of the genus Abies. Most dictionaries don't recognize this distinction, however, including Merriam-Webster and Webster's New World College Dictionary.