''Podocarpus macrophyllus'' is a

conifer Conifers () are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a sin ...

in the genus ''

Podocarpus ''Podocarpus'' () is a genus of conifers, the most numerous and widely distributed of the podocarp family, the Podocarpaceae. ''Podocarpus'' species are evergreen shrubs or trees, usually from tall, known to reach at times. The cones have ...

'', family

Podocarpaceae Podocarpaceae is a large family of mainly southern hemisphere conifers, known in English as podocarps, comprising about 156 species of evergreen trees and shrubs.James E. Eckenwalder. 2009. ''Conifers of the World''. Portland, Oregon: Timber Pres ...

. It is the northernmost species of the genus, native to southern

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

and southern and eastern

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

. Common names in English include yew plum pine, Buddhist pine, fern pine and Japanese yew. and are Japanese names for this tree. In China, it is known as ''luóhàn sōng'' (), which literally means "

arhat In Buddhism, an ''Arhat'' () or ''Arahant'' (, 𑀅𑀭𑀳𑀦𑁆𑀢𑁆) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved ''Nirvana (Buddhism), Nirvana'' and has been liberated from the Rebirth (Buddhism ...

pine".

Description

It is a small to medium-sized

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...

, reaching tall. The

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

are strap-shaped, long, and about 1 cm broad, with a central midrib. The

cones In geometry, a cone is a three-dimensional figure that tapers smoothly from a flat base (typically a circle) to a point not contained in the base, called the ''apex'' or '' vertex''. A cone is formed by a set of line segments, half-lines, ...

are borne on a short stem, and have two to four scales, usually only one (sometimes two) fertile, each fertile scale bearing a single apical

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

10–15 mm. When mature, the scales swell up and become reddish purple, fleshy, and

berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples of berries in the cul ...

-like, 10–20 mm long; they are then eaten by

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...

s, which disperse the seeds in their droppings. ''P. macrophyllus'' occurs in forests, open thickets, and roadsides from near sea level to 1000 m above it.

Varieties

Two varieties are accepted. *''Podocarpus macrophyllus'' var. ''macrophyllus'' – southern China, southern Taiwan, and Japan (Honshu and Shikoku) * ''Podocarpus macrophyllus'' var. ''maki'' (synonym ''P. chinensis'' ) – southern China, northern Myanmar, Taiwan, and south-central and southern Japan

Symbolism, cultivation, and uses

''Kusamaki'' is the state tree of

Chiba Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Chiba Prefecture has a population of 6,278,060 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Chiba Prefecture borders Ibaraki Prefecture to the north, Saitama ...

, Japan. It is a popular large shrub or small tree in gardens, particularly in Japan and the

Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also known as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical List of regions in the United States, region of the United States located in the eastern portion of the Southern United States and t ...

. The ripe cone arils are edible, though the seed should not be eaten. Because of its resistance to

termite Termites are a group of detritivore, detritophagous Eusociality, eusocial cockroaches which consume a variety of Detritus, decaying plant material, generally in the form of wood, Plant litter, leaf litter, and Humus, soil humus. They are dist ...

s and water, ''inumaki'' is used for quality wooden houses in

Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan. It consists of three main island groups—the Okinawa Islands, the Sakishima Islands, and the Daitō Islands—spread across a maritime zone approximately 1,000 kilometers east to west an ...

, Japan. Buddhist pine is highly regarded as a ''

feng shui Feng shui ( or ), sometimes called Chinese geomancy, is a traditional form of geomancy that originated in ancient China and claims to use energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. The term ''feng shui'' mean ...

'' tree in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

, giving it a very high market value. In recent years, the illegal digging of Buddhist pine has become a problem in the city. This species can be trained as a

bonsai Bonsai (; , ) is the Japanese art of Horticulture, growing and shaping miniature trees in containers, with a long documented history of influences and native Japanese development over a thousand years, and with unique aesthetics, cultural hist ...

Gallery

Podocarpus macrophyllus SZ134.png, From ''Flora Japonica'' by Philipp Franz von Siebold and Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini. PodocarpusMacrophyllus.jpg, A closeup of the leaves. Podocarpus K3.jpg, Foliage with mature seed cones. Podocarpus macrophyllus,katori-city,japan.JPG, A trimmed ''P. macrophyllus''.

References

External links

Gymnosperm Database: ''Podocarpus macrophyllus''ITIS: ''Podocarpus macrophyllus''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q165063 macrophyllus Trees of Japan Trees of China Flora of South-Central China Flora of Southeast China Flora of Japan Flora of Myanmar Flora of Taiwan Ornamental trees Plants described in 1784 Taxa named by Carl Peter Thunberg Least concern plants