Taiwania cryptomerioides

Taiwania is a large coniferous tree in the cypress or Cupressaceae family, with a native range of eastern Asia (parts of Taiwan, China, Myanmar and Vietnam). The specific epithet "cryptomerioides" alludes to the similarity to Japanese cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica).

Called "the big tree" in Taiwan, Taiwania can reach height of up to 90 m and trunk of up to 4 m in diameter.

• Leaves are "cryptomeroid" or awl-like, with leaves alternate to helically arranged, needle-like 1.0–2.5 mm long, green, sharply pointed.
• Branches are spreading to pendulous, with drooping branchlets.
• Male pollen cones are 2–3 mm long, yellow-green, in clusters of 2–7 at the ends of leafy shoots.
• Seed cones are solitary at tips of branchlets, each having 15–30 light green, thin, fragile cone scales less than 5 mm long; cones mature in 1 season to brown rounded, 15–20 mm long.