Plants dioec., rarely monoec.; seeds axillary or terminal. Male strobili solitary or several together, or in spikes, sessile or pedunculate, with sterile scales at base; sporophylls us. ∞, bisporangiate, imbricate along axis, apiculus short. Female branchlets us. solitary, pedunculate, with basal scales; receptacle us. swollen and fleshy. Carpidia 1-2, 1-ovulate; ovule not exceeding epimatium, which is connate with the inverted ovule, concrescent with the integument. Seed nutlike or drupelike, cots 2. Shrubs or trees, widespread. The N.Z. spp. endemic.

2n = 36