I consult with the others about the tree (7)
I believe the answer is:
conifer
'tree' is the definition.
(conifer is a kind of tree)
'i consult with the others about the' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'i' is found in the answer.
'consult' could be 'confer' ('confer' can be a synonym of 'consult') and 'confer' is found in the leftover letters.
This accounts for all the letters.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for conifer that I've seen before include "Evergreen tree" , "Evergreen (generally)" , "Fir or pine, for example" , "Type of tree" , "Fir or larch, for example" .)