Very large evergreen tree; branches irregularly whorled; bark thick, fibrous, very soft, shedding in large plates. Winter buds scaly. Lvs dimorphic, those of lateral shoots 2-ranked, ± linear, flat, with 2 stomatal bands below, and decurrent at base, those of terminal and cone-bearing shoots, particularly when erect, spirally arranged, small and often scale-like, almost appressed to shoot, and with stomatal bands irregular and ± glaucous. ♂ strobili (cones) axillary and terminal, broadly ovoid or oblong-ovoid, terminal, stalked, with many spirally arranged stamens. ♀ cones solitary, subglobose, ripening in second year, persistent after dehiscence. Scales 15-20, obliquely shield-shaped, woody, transversely ridged; tip of bract scale free, narrow and inconspicuous. Seeds 3-7 per scale, elliptic to ± oblong; wing narrower than seed.