Tall tree up to 30 m or more. Bark greyish‑brown. Branches drooping. Leaves 2.511 cm long. Male cones axillary, solitary, 2‑2.5 cm long. Micro sporophylls with 2 linear sporangia. Young female cones erect, reddish‑green, mature ones pendulous, dark brown, ellipsoid, 10‑15 x 2.5‑5 cm. Bract scales membranous. Seeds 5‑6 mm long, dark grey, wing twice as long as the seed.

Type: In montibus Himalayae proximis, Webb, Govan, Blinkworth.

The `Himalayan spruce' is fairly common from 2500‑3300 m. Usually found in mixed forests of fir, blue pine and cedar. Sometimes develops pseudocones, which look like young female cones and are in fact formed by wooly aphidsAdelges. Cones ripen in October‑November; Distribution: Afghanistan, Himalayas from Chitral eastward to C. Nepal.