Juniperus chinensis Linnaeus var. procumbens Endlicher, Syn. Conif. 21. 1847; Sabina procumbens (Endlicher) Iwata & Kusaka.

Shrubs procumbent, to 70 cm; branches creeping, much elongated, leading shoots and branchlets ascending. Leaves in whorls of 3, all needlelike, unequal in length, 6-8 mm, rigid, slightly concave adaxially, with 2 white stomatal bands adaxially, base decurrent apex sharply pointed. Pollen cones not seen. Seed cones black when ripe, glaucous, subglobose, 8-9 mm in diam., 2- or 3-seeded. Seeds ca. 4 mm, ridged.

Cultivated for ornament. Anhui, Fujian, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shangdong, Yunnan, Zhejiang [native to Japan (including Bonin Islands)]