It is an evergreenshrub or small tree growing to 5 m tall. The leaves are borne in decussate whorls of three, scale-like, 2–5 mm long and 1–1.5 mm broad; leaves on seedlings are longer and needle-like, not scale-like. The seed cones are globose, 1–2 cm diameter, with six scales in two whorls of three; they mature in about 18 months from pollination. The pollen cones are cylindrical, 3–6 mm long and 1.2–2 mm broad.[2]
