Torreya californica is species of conifer endemic to California, occurring in the Pacific Coast Ranges and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. It is commonly known as California Torreya or California Nutmeg (although not closely related to true nutmeg). It is an evergreen tree growing to 15-25 meter tall, with a trunk diameter of 0.5-1 meter (exceptionally 2 meter); the crown is conical in overall shape, with whorled branches. The leaves are needle-like, stiff, sharp pointed, 3-5 centimeter long and 3 millimeter broad; they are arranged spirally but twisted at the base to lie flat either side of the shoots. The male (pollen) cones are 5-7 millimeter long, grouped in lines along the underside of a shoot. The female (seed) cones are single or grouped 2-5 together on a short stem; minute at first, they mature in about 18 months to a drupe-like structure with the single large nut-like seed 2.5-4 centimeter long surrounded by a fleshy covering, dark green to purple at full maturity in the fall.