Tree with spreading brownish branches up to 25m and 2m in diameter, bark grayish brown, flaky on old tree, twings glabrous, green to red after 3 years; leaves linear, 2.5cm × 0.3- 0.4cm, wide, rather rigid, gradually tapering to a short spinescent apex, deep green and lustrous on more or less convex upper side, pale green with 2 narrow pale white impressed stomatal bands beneath, deciduous after 6-7 years; dioecious, pollen cones 10 or less with brown bract, oval, 10 mm long, seed cones 2-3 clustered with 5-6 gren bracts and irregular oval, 6 mm long, seeds oval 25-28mm × 20mm, 3mm thick, greenish, drupelike fleshy seed layer, tinged with purple. Honshu (Kanto Distr. and westw.), Shikoku, Kyushu.
2n=22.
Pollination April-May
Seed maturity Sept-Oct of 2nd year
Distribution Japan northern Honshu to Kyushu; Jellabuk-do to Jeju

<Japan Flora>

Japanese name: Kaya. 

Glabrous tree with spreading browrdsh branches; leaves linear, 15-25 mm. long, 2.2-3 mm. wide, rather rigid, gradually tapering to a short spinescent apex, abruptly narrowed to subsessile base, deep green and lustrous on more or less convex upper side, pale green with 2 narrow pale yellowish impressed stomatai bands beneath; seed nar­rowly ellipsoidal, about 2,5 cm. long, greenish, tinged with purple. Honshu (Kanto Distr. and westw.), Shikoku, Kyu­shu.

Var. macrosperma (Miyoshi) Koidz. Japanese name: Hidari-makigaya.

Seed oblong, 3.5-4 cm. long. Honshu (Omi and Iga Prov.)

Var. radicans Nakai. Japanese name: Chabogaya.

Stems less than 3 m. long, ascending, branching from base, radicant. Mountains; Honshu.

Var. igaensis (Doi & Morikawa) Ohwi. Japanese name: Kotsubugaya.

Leaves 1-1.8 cm. long, abruptly spinescent; seed about 2 cm. long. Honshu (Iga Prov.); rare.