Shrubs erect or procumbent, or small trees to 12 m, dioecious; ultimate branchlets densely arranged, mostly straight, 4-angled or sometimes ± terete. Leaves both scalelike and needlelike; needlelike leaves usually present on seedlings and young trees, decussate or in whorls of 3, ascending, 4-8 mm, apex acuminate; scalelike leaves decussate, appressed or with free apex, rhombic, obtuse, 1.5-2 mm, abaxial gland central, or basal in needlelike leaves, oblong or broadly linear, depressed. Pollen cones ovoid or subglobose, 2-3 mm; microsporophylls 6-8, each with 2 or 3 pollen sacs. Seed cones bluish black or brownish black when ripe, ± glaucous, ovoid or broadly ovoid, 0.7-1.4 cm × 6-10 mm, 1-seeded. Seeds ovoid or ellipsoid, slightly flattened, 6-7 × 4-6 mm, ridged, base rounded or pointed, apex blunt.

Thickets on mountains; 2000-4000 m. Xinjiang [Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan].