Large shrub, or small to medium-sized tree (sometimes large in cultivation); habit erect or spreading. Branches straight or somewhat twisted. Bark reddish brown, grey on surface, fissured and forming small plates. Shoots brown, glabrous. Buds cylindric or cylindric-ovoid, purplish brown, strongly resinous; scales tightly appressed. Lvs 2 per fascicle, (2.5)-3.5-6.5 cm × 0.8-1.5 mm, not or somewhat twisted, usually pointed forward, generally yellowish green; resin canals median; sheath very short after first year. ♂ strobili 5-15 mm long, cylindric or broadly cylindric. Conelets sessile; scales aristate. Mature cones long-persistent, often not opening until long after maturity, subsessile, usually directed downwards or backwards, 3-6 × 2-3.5 cm, ± broad-ovoid; base asymmetric or somewhat asymmetric; apophyses shining yellowish brown or brown before maturity, ± convex; umbo with short, slender, occasionally deciduous prickle. Seed wing asymmetric but almost oblong, c. 1 cm long.