Trees to 20 m, rarely shrubs, monoecious; branchlet systems not tapering and subequal in length throughout system; branchlets loosely arranged, straight or slightly curved, terete or 4-angled, thick, ultimate ones 1.2-1.5 mm in diam. Leaves both scalelike and needlelike: all needlelike on young trees, both types on adult trees, nearly all scalelike on old trees; needlelike leaves in whorls of 3, spreading, free part 4-8 mm; scalelike leaves decussate, usually glaucous, rhombic-ovate, 1.2-3 mm, usually with cuticular wax, abaxial gland basal, orbicular, ovate, or elliptic, convex, leaf apex acute, free. Pollen cones ovoid, ca. 2.5 mm; microsporophylls 6-10, each with 2 or 3 pollen sacs. Seed cones bluish black or black when ripe, ovoid or subglobose, 0.8-1.3 cm, 1-seeded. Seeds slightly flattened globose, occasionally subglobose, 7-12 × 6-10 mm, obscurely or prominently ridged, with resin pits.
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