Monoecious or dioecious trees or shrubs. Branching regularly whorled, dimorphic, with distinct plagiotropic and orthotropic shoots. Leaves opposite or spirally arranged, flattened or subulate; venation parallel, without a distinct midrib. Male cones axillary or terminal, comprising numerous spirally arranged fertile scales, each with 4-9 abaxial microsporangia; pollen not winged. Female cones axillary or terminal, comprising numerous imbricate, spirally arranged, fertile scales, each with a fully or mostly adnate bract and a central, adaxial, inverted ovule. Seeds winged or not. Cotyledons usually 2 (-4).