Trees or shrubs aromatic, evergreen; crown usually conic when
young, often rounded or flat-topped with age. Bark of older
stems variously furrowed and plated, plates and/or ridges
layered or scaly. Branches usually in pseudowhorls; shoots
dimorphic with long shoots and short shoots; short shoots borne
in close spirals from axils of scaly bracts and bearing
fascicles of leaves (needles). Buds ovoid to cylindric, apex
pointed (blunt), usually resinous. Leaves dimorphic, spirally
arranged; foliage leaves (needles) (1--)2--5(--6) per fascicle,
persisting 2--12 or more years, terete or ± 2--3-angled and
rounded on abaxial surface, sessile, sheathed at base by 12--15
overlapping scale leaves, these (at least firmer basal ones)
persisting for life of fascicle or shed after first season;
resin canals 2 or more. Pollen cones in dense, spikelike cluster
around base of current year's growth, mostly ovoid to cylindric-
conic, tan to yellow, red, blue, or lavender. Seed cones
maturing in 2(--3) years, shed early or various