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Buddhist Pine
Podocarpus macrophyllus
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An evergreen tall tree native to warm regions of Japan. Although a conifer with linear leaves, it does not produce typical cones; instead, seeds develop on a fleshy receptacle (red to purple) in a distinctive fruiting structure. Widely used as a hedge and garden tree.
Identification Points
- βLinear, flat leaves 7β12 cm long, with two white stomatal bands on the underside
- βFruit consists of a purple seed atop a red fleshy receptacle (receptacle edible; seed toxic)
- βEvergreen and tolerant of pruning; widely used for hedges
Habitat
Warm-temperate woodlands, gardens, and hedges
Season
OctoberβNovember (fruit)
3D Specimen Model
Kyushu University, Shikano Lab (CC0)
View on SketchfabβMorphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Growth form
Tree
Evergreen/Deciduous
Evergreen
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Parallel
Leaf margin
Entire
Petal fusion
No petals
Stipules
Absent
Ovary position
Superior
Plant sex
Dioecious
Phylogenetic Positionγγη§ β
Phylogenetic Position
Gymnosperms > Conifers > Pinales > Podocarpaceae
Divergence Era
Mesozoic Jurassic (approx. 180 million years ago onward)
Evolution Notes
Podocarpaceae is a gymnosperm family distributed mainly in the Southern Hemisphere. Unlike pines, it does not form typical cones but bears seeds on a fleshy receptacle, representing a unique reproductive mode.
View on evolution timeline βSources & References
AI-generated, needs verification