The below mentioned article provides study notes on Cryptomeria.
Cryptomeria or Japanese Cedar is a native of China and Japan and grows in Eastern and Western Himalayas in natural conditions. Extensive Cryptomeria forests occur in Darjeeling region in India. Only one species (Cryptomeria japonica) represents the genus. Plants grow at an altitude of 1800-2400m. Plants attain a height of about 36-46m and a diameter of 1.2-2.5m.
The plant is evergreen, rapidly branching with reddish-brown bark. The leaves with their clasping bases are arranged spirally on the stem. They are linear, awl-shaped, curving inwards and keeled on both the surfaces. They are spiny with pointed tip and entire margin.
Cryptomeria plants are monoecious. The female and male cones develop on different parts of the same branch. Clusters of 8-18 male cones arise in the axil of a bract. Generally, the female cones are terminal in position. A small male cone axis bears 18-25 microsporophyll’s in a male cone. They are stalked and spirally arranged. Each microsporophyll is a peltate structure.
On the lower end of the abaxial surface of each microsporophyll are present 3 or 4 microsporangia. The stalk of the microsporophyll is at right angles to the cone axis. A few (usually two) lowermost microsporophyll’s are sterile and do not bear microsporangia. Each female cone bears 26-30 spirally arranged scales. Out of them, the upper 9 or 10 scales are small and sterile.
At the distal end of each fertile scale is present 3-5 spine-like structures. Except at the tip, the major parts of the ovuliferous and bract scales remain fused lengthwise. The free part of the bract scale appears as a recurved process.
On the abaxial side of the scale develop 3 or 4 ovules. The arrangement of the ovules is such that their micropyles point away from the axis of the female cone. The seeds are triangular or rhomboidal in shape. They are dark brown in colour. A rudimentary wing is present in each seed.