Dioecious trees or shrubs. Seedling and adult leaves bifacially flattened, usually linear or oblong, spirally arranged, crowded, with an indistinct midrib. Male cones cylindrical, sessile or stalked, solitary or grouped in axils of upper leaves; groups sessile or stalked; microsporophylls crowded, spiral, scarious, becoming red or brown at maturity. Female cones reduced to 1–3 fertile scales bearing 1 or 2 (or 3) ovules; fertile scales fused to 1 or more sterile scales; fused structure (receptacle) axillary and solitary on a short shoot or peduncle, not enlarging or becoming fleshy at maturity; peduncle with numerous scaly bracts. Seed coat becoming fleshy at maturity.
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