Tree up to 30m, winter buds oval, acuminate, ciliate scales, glabrous; branchlets glabrous, yellowish brown; leaves rather loosely arranged, linear, (10)13-20mm × 2.5-3.0mm, emarginate, lustrous and 1-grooved above, with 2 radier narrow whitish stomatal bands beneath, petiole 1 mm long; pollen cones upright, seed cones pendrous, ovoid, 15-20mm × 10-15mm, short-stalked, the scales orbicular, Seeds 4mm long, yellowish brown, wing 15-20mm × 10-15mm long.

Pollination May
Seed maturity Oct
Distribution Japan Honshu Central to South; Ulleung

Taxonomic Remarks: The taxon from Ulleung-do was more similar to T. diversifolia (Maxim.) Mast. than T. sieboldii Carriere in southern Japan (Holman, et al., 2008), but Holman et al. (2017) insisted from his 4CL gene analysis that the taxa from Ulleund-do is closely related to T. sieboldii. Also, Holman et al. indicated that the size of the resin canals in leaves and cone scale bracts of individuals on Ulleun-do are similar to those of T. sieboldii in southern Japan.  

Two Japanese species differs in pubescent young stems and T. diversifolia in northern Japan has hairy on the twigs.  In Ulleung-do hair in the first year twig was not developed, and bud and cone size were matched with T. sieboldii. The variation in characters of resin canals and cone-scale bract may seem not to have been treated satisfactorily. These characters may be of limited use when unsupported by characteristics that are observable on all individual. Since the taxon on on Ulleung-do can be delimited within T. sieboldii, the new name, Tsuga uleungensis proposed by Holman et al. reduced to synonymy under T. sieboldii here.

<Japan Flora>

Toga. Tree with ciliate bud-scales; branchlets glabrous, lustrous, yellowish brown; leaves rather loosely arranged, linear, 8-20 mm. long, emarginate, lustrous and 1-grooved above, with 2 rather narrow whitish stomatai bands beneath; cones broadly ovoid, 2-2.5 cm. long, short-stalked, the scales orbicular, 1 cm. long, ciliolate, glabrous on back.    Moun­tains and hills; Honshu (Kanto Distn and westw.), Shikoku, Kyushu; common.