{{short description|Species of conifer in the family Podocarpaceae}} {{Speciesbox | image = Podocarpus macrophyllus.jpg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Farjon, A. |date=2013 |title=''Podocarpus macrophyllus'' |volume=2013 |article-number=e.T42517A2984343 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T42517A2984343.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Podocarpus | species = macrophyllus | authority = (Thunb.) Sweet | subdivision_ranks = Varieties | subdivision = *''Podocarpus macrophyllus'' var. ''macrophyllus'' *''Podocarpus macrophyllus'' var. ''maki'' {{small|Siebold & Zucc.}} | subdivision_ref = <ref name = powo>{{cite web |title=''Podocarpus macrophyllus'' (Thunb.) Sweet |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:263522-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=9 March 2025}}</ref> |synonyms = *''Margbensonia macrophylla'' {{small|(Thunb.) A.V.Bobrov & Melikyan}} *''Margbensonia sweetii'' {{small|(C.Presl) A.V.Bobrov & Melikyan}} *''Nageia macrophylla'' {{small|(Thunb.) F.Muell.}} *''Podocarpus sweetii'' {{small|C.Presl}} *''Taxus macrophylla'' {{small|Thunb.}} |synonyms_ref = <ref name = powo/> }}

'''''Podocarpus macrophyllus''''' is a conifer in the genus ''Podocarpus'', family Podocarpaceae. It is the northernmost species of the genus, native to southern Japan and southern and eastern China. Common names in English include '''yew plum pine''',<ref>{{PLANTS|id=POMA32|taxon=Podocarpus macrophyllus|accessdate=9 October 2015}}</ref> '''Buddhist pine''', '''fern pine''' and '''Japanese yew'''.<ref>[https://www.prosperpressnews.com/story/opinion/columns/2017/01/16/let8217s-talk-japanese-yews/22665251007/ "Let's talk Japanese yews."] ''Prosper Press.'' 15 January 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2022.</ref> {{Nihongo|2=クサマキ|3=Kusamaki}} and {{Nihongo|2=犬槇|3=inumaki}} are Japanese names for this tree. In China, it is known as ''luóhàn sōng'' ({{lang|zh|羅漢松}}), which literally means "arhat pine".

==Description== [[File:Podocarpus macrophyllus (seed s4).jpg|thumb|left|''P. macrophyllus'' seed cones with two seeds]] It is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree, reaching {{convert|20|m|ft|abbr=on}} tall.<ref name=eflora/> The leaves are strap-shaped, {{convert|6|-|12|cm|abbr=on}} long, and about 1&nbsp;cm broad, with a central midrib. The cones 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 10–15&nbsp;mm. When mature, the scales swell up and become reddish purple, fleshy, and berry-like, 10–20&nbsp;mm long; they are then eaten by birds, 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.<ref name=eflora>{{cite web|url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200005469 |title=''Podocarpus macrophyllus'' |author=eFloras |work=Flora of China |publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA |access-date=15 April 2012}}</ref>

==Varieties== Two varieties are accepted.<ref name = powo/> *''Podocarpus macrophyllus'' var. ''macrophyllus'' – southern China, southern Taiwan, and Japan (Honshu and Shikoku) *''Podocarpus macrophyllus'' var. ''maki'' {{small|Siebold & Zucc.}} (synonym ''P. chinensis'' {{small|Wall. ex Benn.}}) – southern China, northern Myanmar, Taiwan, and south-central and southern Japan

==Symbolism, cultivation, and uses== ''Kusamaki'' is the state tree of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is a popular large shrub or small tree in gardens, particularly in Japan and the Southeastern United States. The ripe cone arils are edible, though the seed should not be eaten. Because of its resistance to termites and water, ''inumaki'' is used for quality wooden houses in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.

Buddhist pine is highly regarded as a ''feng shui'' tree in Hong Kong, giving it a very high market value. In recent years, the illegal digging of Buddhist pine has become a problem in the city.<ref>{{cite web |title=Buddhist pine tree bandit jailed |url=https://www.news.gov.hk/isd/ebulletin/en/category/lawandorder/040831/html/040831en08002.htm |website=www.news.gov.hk |access-date=30 October 2018}}</ref>

This species can be trained as a bonsai.<ref>{{cite web|title=Podocarpus Macrophyllus - Bonsai Empire|url=http://www.bonsaiempire.com/tree-species/podocarpus|website=www.bonsaiempire.com|access-date=10 August 2016}}</ref>

==Gallery== <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''. </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commonscat-inline|Podocarpus macrophyllus|''Podocarpus macrophyllus''}} {{Wikispecies-inline}} *[http://www.conifers.org/po/Podocarpus_macrophyllus.php Gymnosperm Database: ''Podocarpus macrophyllus''] *[http://www.cbif.gc.ca/pls/itisca/next?v_tsn=183491 ITIS: ''Podocarpus macrophyllus'']{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *[http://www.alpine-plants-jp.com/himitunohanazono/inumaki_himitu_1.htm Seeds: ''Podocarpus macrophyllus'']

{{Taxonbar|from=Q165063}}

macrophyllus Category:Trees of Japan Category:Trees of China Category:Flora of South-Central China Category:Flora of Southeast China Category:Flora of Japan Category:Flora of Myanmar Category:Flora of Taiwan Category:Ornamental trees Category:Plants described in 1784 Category:Taxa named by Carl Peter Thunberg Category:Least concern plants Category:Trees of temperate climates