Deciduous, scarcely resinous trees; branches irregularly whorled, somewhat horizontal; bark becoming thick and furrowed. Winter buds small, subglobose, not resinous. Long shoots with spirally arranged, solitary lvs; short spur-like shoots with fascicles of up to c. 50, fine, soft, flattened to nearly quadrangular, grass-green lvs; resin ducts 2. ♂ strobili (cones) terminal on short shoots, oblong to globose, yellow, at anthesis before lvs. ♀ cones terminal on short shoots, ripening in first year, erect to downward pointing, surrounded by basal ring of brown, fimbriate, hair-like scales; bract scales much > ovuliferous scales at anthesis, red, purple or green, usually included in mature cone; ovuliferous scales becoming semi-woody, persistent; ovules 2 to each scale. Mature cones not disintegrating, few to numerous along branchlets. Seed with large wing.