Variation
var. brachytyla
This tree differs in having a greyish brown fissured bark with square plates that are thick and robust. It has thinned textured leaves with 2-white somatic bands on the underside and the immature cone is green. 

It is naturally found in western China growing on mountain slopes and in the valleys at an altitude from 1500 m to 2900 m (8,800 ft).

var. complanata
This tree differs in having pale grey flaky bark and thick textured, dark green leaves with 2-white somatic bands on the underside. The immature cones are a red or purplish-brown and the tree is naturally found growing on the mountains and along the rivers in western China at an altitude from 2000 m to 3800 m (11,500 ft).