Evergreen trees with branches ± whorled. Branches of 2 kinds: (a) main branches bearing only scale-like leaves lacking chlorophyll and (b) deciduous short shoots bearing a number (usually 2,3 or 5) of green needle-like leaves in a common sheath. Ripe cones with woody scales. Seeds winged (in ours), 2 per cone scale. Worldwide: 93 species, northern temperate, South and Central America, Sumatra and Java Zimbabwe: 3 cultivated taxa. Insects associated with this genus: |
No image of a cultivated species but there is an image of a native or naturalised species |