It is native to New Guinea and to the Indonesian Province of Maluku.

[2] It is usually a medium-sized to large evergreen tree 16–50 m tall, at high elevations only a shrub reaching up to 3 m).

The foliage is borne in flat sprays, with the leaves scale-like, in opposite pairs, with facial and lateral pairs alternating; the lateral leaves are larger, 2–3 mm long on mature trees and up to 20 mm long on young trees, the facial leaves smaller, 1 mm on mature trees and up to 8 mm on young trees.

The cones are 1–2 cm long, with four scales, a small, sterile basal pair, and a larger fertile pair; the fertile scales each bearing two winged seeds.

[3] The species has two varieties, most readily distinguishable as young plants with juvenile leaves (the adult foliage being nearly indistinguishable): A fossil species, Papuacedrus prechilensis, is known from the Eocene of Argentina.