Podocarpaceae

Native: China, Eastern Asia, Japan, Taiwan

Systematic Position

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Streptophyta

Order: Pinales

Family: Podocarpaceae

Common Names

English –  Buddhist Pine

Malayalam –   

Description: Small evergreen tree up to 12m in heaight, bark gray or grayish brown, peeling off in thin flakes. Leaves are clustered at the branch tip, spirally arranged. Fruits are small axillary, solitary that are purple in color and oval to round shape.

Distribution:  Introduced to several countries worldwide.

Uses: Ornamental plant in outdoor gardens. Stem bark is used in the treatment of worms (especially ringworm) and blood disorders. A decoction of the fruit is tonic for the heart, kidneys, lungs, etc.