Leaves alternate, linear to narrowly oblong or narrowly ovate, flat, coriaceous, with prominent midrib. Male cones terminal or arranged in spikes on lateral branches, borne in axils of scale-leaves or leaves near base of current year shoots, sporangia 2 per sporophyll. Female cones terminal on short lateral branches, rarely in spikes; ovules separate or 1–2 borne at or near end of special axillary fruiting branch; axis beneath seed remaining woody or becoming swollen and fleshy at maturity. Seed ovoid or globular, solitary, rarely 2, borne upon enlarged or fleshy receptacle, similar size to seed when mature, blue-black or green, more or less glaucous.
About 70 species in southern Asia, tropics and many parts of the Southern Hemisphere; 1 species in Victoria.
Source:
Entwisle, T.J. (1994). Conifers (Pinophyta). In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 113–121. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
