Pseudotsuga sinensis

Chinese Douglas-fir is in the pine or Pinaceae family and is native to many provinces in China and in Taiwan. It can reach up to 50 m tall.

Two (and sometimes three) varieties of the species are be recognized:

• Chinese Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga sinensis var. sinensis)
• Taiwan Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga sinensis var. wilsoniana), sometimes recognized as its own species (Pseudotsuga wilsoniana)
• Gaussenii Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga sinensis var. gaussenii) is included as a subspecies in the International Plant Names Index, but in the Gymnosperm Database, it is treated as a synonym for P. sinensis var. sinensis. Other sources list it as a separate species (P. gaussenii).

• Needle-like leaves are flat, 2.0–2.5 cm long and 2 mm wide, often arranged in a flat plane similar to grand fir (Abies grandis), but also spiraling around the twig; stomatal lines on the undersides give them a lighter, gray-green appearance.
• Species is monoecious; males are oblong, red turning to pale yellow near ends of branches; seed cones are quite small, ovoid, 3.5–8.0 cm long and 2.0–4.5 cm across, with thick, rounded cone scales, with bracts protruding 3 mm; cones mature to chocolate brown. Seed scales at the middle of cones are semi-round, concave at the sides.
• Buds are 4 mm long, narrow conic shape and pointed; bark is originally gray, smooth, becoming thickly scaly, corky, with fissures on older trees.