# Podocarpus macrophyllus

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{{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.](/source/Carl_Peter_Thunberg)) 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](/source/Plants_of_the_World_Online) |publisher=[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew](/source/Royal_Botanic_Gardens%2C_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](/source/conifer) in the genus ''[Podocarpus](/source/Podocarpus)'', family [Podocarpaceae](/source/Podocarpaceae). It is the northernmost species of the genus, native to southern [Japan](/source/Japan) and southern and eastern [China](/source/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](/source/Japanese_(language)) names for this tree. In China, it is known as ''luóhàn sōng'' ({{lang|zh|羅漢松}}), which literally means "[arhat](/source/arhat_(Buddhism)) pine".

==Description==
[[File:Podocarpus macrophyllus (seed s4).jpg|thumb|left|''P. macrophyllus'' [seed cones](/source/conifer_cone) with two [seeds](/source/seeds)]]
It is a small to medium-sized [evergreen](/source/evergreen) [tree](/source/tree), reaching {{convert|20|m|ft|abbr=on}} tall.<ref name=eflora/> The [leaves](/source/leaf) are strap-shaped, {{convert|6|-|12|cm|abbr=on}} long, and about 1&nbsp;cm broad, with a central midrib. The [cones](/source/conifer_cone) 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](/source/seed) 10–15&nbsp;mm. When mature, the scales swell up and become reddish purple, fleshy, and [berry](/source/Berry_(botany))-like, 10–20&nbsp;mm long; they are then eaten by [bird](/source/bird)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.<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''](/source/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](/source/Chiba_Prefecture), Japan. It is a popular large shrub or small tree in gardens, particularly in Japan and the [Southeastern United States](/source/Southeastern_United_States). The ripe cone arils are edible, though the seed should not be eaten. Because of its [resistance](/source/Wood_preservation) to [termite](/source/termite)s and water, ''inumaki'' is used for quality wooden houses in [Okinawa Prefecture](/source/Okinawa_Prefecture), Japan.

Buddhist pine is highly regarded as a ''[feng shui](/source/feng_shui)'' tree in [Hong Kong](/source/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](/source/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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Podocarpus macrophyllus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podocarpus_macrophyllus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podocarpus_macrophyllus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.