Glyptostrobus europaeus is an extinct conifer species of the family Cupressaceae that is found as fossils throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

They consist of woody imbricate (overlapping) scales that are roughly triangular in shape, and are borne terminally on short twigs with scale-like leaves.

They consist of acute-tipped, incurved, imbricate scales and are borne on short, alternately arranged twigs with scale-like leaves.

[4][5] Remains of Glyptostrobus are found in sediments of Early Cretaceous (Aptian stage) to Pleistocene age in Europe, Greenland, North America and Asia.

Throughout the Tertiary period Glyptostrobus was a major component of northern forests in lowland and swampy areas, where in many places it coexisted with Metasequoia occidentalis.