Description
Densely-branched erect shrub or small tree growing to heights of 5 meters, branches are often small and rigid with leaves arranged spirally and fully appressed to the stem. Individual leaves can measure up to 1.5 millimetres (mm) long, and 1mm wide, leaves are thick, blunt and concave with a rounded keel. Male flowers in compressed, terminal globular cones, ranging from 1–5mm in diameter, with 8 to 15 fertile scales, each scale has two pollen sacs on the abaxial surface. Female flowers occur in cones on short branches that usually droop (hence the old common name) flowers are globular ranging from 2–4mm long and have 3-8 fertile scales, with a single ovule on the upper surface of each scale. When the seed is ripe it has a hard, glossy brown coat and is approximately 1mm in diamete.