Resinous, monoecious trees. Shoots of two sorts, long shoots bearing very slow-growing, short lateral shoots. Leaves whorled or spirally arranged, needle-like, triangular in cross section, those on short shoots much shorter and densely packed in whorls. Cones solitary, erect, terminal on short lateral shoots; scales whorled. Female cones maturing in second or third year; scales large, woody, deciduous. Seeds 2 per scale, with large membranous wing. Cotyledons usually 6–10.
4 species, occurring in the Mediterranean and west Himalayan regions, 1 incipiently naturalised in Victoria.
