An evergreen vine shrub native to El Salvador, it has a thin flower stalk that extends from near the ground and has a flower like the face of a Star Wars Darth
This species belong to Asiatic, often called cobra lilies or jack-in-the-pulpit; both names refer to the distinctive appearance of the flower, which consists of an erect central spadix rising from a spathe. The species has large mouth of spathe with ear lobe shape edge.
The foliage is arranged in flat sprays; adult leaves are scale-like, 1.5–2 mm long, with pointed tips (unlike the blunt tips of the leaves of the related Chamaecyparis obtusa (hinoki cypress), green above, green below with a white stomatal band. at the base of each scale-leaf
Cryptomeria is a very large evergreen tree, reaching up to 50m (sometimes 70 m) tall and 4 m trunk diameter. The wood is pleasantly scented, reddish-pink in colour, lightweight but strong, waterproof and resistant to decay. It is favoured in Japan for all types of construction work as well as interior panelling, etc.
It is grown for its very high quality timber in Japan, where it is used as a material for building palaces, temples, shrines, traditional noh theatres, baths, table tennis blades and masu.
Young shoots are edible either raw or cooked. Mature culms are used as water pipes or made into small rafts, baskets, paper pulp, and for house construction.