Trees to 50 m tall; trunk to 1.5 m d.b.h.; bark grayish brown, scaly, flaking; branchlets initially brown or yellowish brown, turning grayish brown in 2nd year, glabrous; winter buds ovoid, rarely conical-ovoid, scales appressed at base of branchlets. Leaves densely arranged, directed forward on upper side of branchlets, spreading on lower side, linear, straight or slightly curved, broadly rhombic in cross section, 0.8-1.4 cm × ca. 1 mm, stomatal lines 5 along each surface adaxially and 2 or 3 along each surface abaxially, apex acute. Seed cones red or purplish green, maturing brown, rarely with a little purple, oblong-or ovoid-cylindric, 5-7 × 2.5-3 cm. Seed scales somewhat closely arranged, those at middle of cones obovate, ca. 1.5 × 1.2 cm, base broadly cuneate or slightly rounded, apex broadly rounded. Seeds nearly obovoid, ca. 3-4 mm; wing yellowish or orange-brown, obovate-oblong, 6-7 mm. Pollination Apr, seed maturity Oct.
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