Shrubby or small trees with long very slender jointed branches and often exceedingly minute scale-like persistent leaves. Flowers monoecious. Fruit globular, composed of 4 to 6 unequal woody valvate scales with one or two seeds at the base of each. There are several species, chiefly Australian. The generic name is derived from beautiful.

1. C. quadrivalvis. - A tree of considerable size and irregular growth in its native country, Barbary, but remaining shrubby with us, and only hardy in the warmest parts of Britain and Ireland.

Widdringtonia is a South African genus of tender shrubs.