Cryptomeria japonica (Thunb. ex L. F.) D. Don
Tree: evergreen; erect; 64 m maximum
height; monoecious. Trunk: 5 m maximum diameter. Bark: grey, red,
or brown; furrowed, or peeling off in strands. Crown: rather open;
columnar to narrowly or widely conical (pyramidal). Branches: ascending,
horizontal, or drooping. Ultimate branchlets:
5–250 mm long; arranged 3-dimensionally; roundish in cross-section.
Leaves: only adult leaves on adult plants;
needle-like (awl-shaped: rounded in cross-section). Needle leaves: 2–20
mm long; 0.5–1.2 mm wide; arranged spirally; arranged in 5 rows; slightly
spreading, or spreading; dark green; tip blunt.
Male cones: 2–9 mm long; 1.3–4 mm
wide; several together, or solitary; ovoid, or oblong; 19-27 male cone scales; yellow
or bright brown. Male cone scales: arranged spirally; 1–6 pollen sacs
per male cone scale.
Female cones: 9–30 mm long; 10–25 mm
wide; 16–55 cone scales; globose; cone-like (open after maturity); woody; not
disintegrating after maturity; bright; young cones greenish. Female cone
scales: arranged spirally; inserted on different levels in mature cones;
without several small additional cone scales on the female cone; tip acute;
with small or large dorsal umbo; umbo more or less in the centre, or near the
tip. Columella: absent, or present; 5–15 mm long; simple (round or
angled at the apex).
Seeds: 4–8 mm long; 1.5–3.5 mm wide; 30–54
seeds per cone; red, bright – dark brown, or black; 1–5 seed(s) per female cone
scale; flattened. Seed wings: 0.2–0.25 mm wide; 2 (almost) equal wings.
Supplement: maturity in the first
year; 2–4 cotyledones; 22 chromosomes (2n), 23 chromosomes
(2n), 33 chromosomes (3n), or 44 chromosomes (4n). Cultivation:
cultivated in