Podocarpus neriifolius
Brown pine; Malaya: jati bukit (Pahang); Sumatra: ambai ayam (Indragiri); hatang (Tapanuli); kayu tadji (Palembang); minangkas (Bencoolen); naru dotan (Simalur I.); sito bu hotang (KaroBatak); Java: antoh (Japara); ki bima, ki merak, ki pantjar, ki putri; Borneo: belah buloh (Lawas, Sarawak); djadjaruman (Sampit); ki beling (Sabah); West New Guinea: aiwimunuwamee (Biak); bung (Mayu); buskagidji, butsgagyi (Andai, Manikiong); gedorra (Fakfak, Esania); kayu tjina merah (Kp. Baros); korrikain (Tehid); uwa (Amberbaken); wajar (Mandobo); wasabraren (on Numfoor I.); East New Guinea: isimberi (Nindewari); sipiri (on Kikori R.); sirau (Bulolo, Gairana dial.) (de Laubenfels 1988); Thông tre, Thông lông gà [Vietnamese] (FIPI 1996).
Podocarpus neriifolius used to be the ponderosa pine of the podocarps: an abundant and widespread (more so than any other species in the genus) polymorphic species that everyone knew concealed greater diversity, but no one could quite sort out. As de Laubenfels (2015) said, "ever since Podocarpus neriifolius D. Don was named (Don, 1824), being the first tropical Asian species of Podocarpus L'Hér. ex Pers. to be described, this name has been applied from India to Fiji to almost any specimen of Podocarpus having a roughly similar appearance". De Laubenfels worked on this problem for most of his career, and finally addressed it in depth in his final work, published a few months before his death (de Laubenfels 2015). The taxonomy he developed there seems to have won fairly widespread acceptance; for instance, the species and varieties are all accepted by POWO. Unfortunately, even this leaves us with only sketchy descriptions of many species. Molecular studies to date seem to have shown that de Laubenfels' infrageneric classification (developed in painstaking detail in his 2015 paper), although morphologically consistent, has little phylogenetic value (see Biffin et al. 2011 for more on the plesiomorphies of the Podocarpaceae). Molecular studies thus far have not been particularly useful in understanding the phylogenetics of taxa in the P. neriifolius complex, perhaps because they have used "P. neriifolius" samples of uncertain origin (e.g. Knopf et al. [2011] used one "P. neriifolius" sample from the Philippines, which hosts 3 species in the complex; and one sample from a botanical garden in Europe; these could well have represented 2 different taxa). It is likely that considerable further work is needed before the phylogenetics of the species complex is well understood, and it is quite possible that these species represent several clades within Podocarpus as a whole. Realistically, work that will enable confident demarcation of taxa in the P. neriifolius complex has not yet been published, and the taxonomy set forth here is a snapshot of the best currently available information.
As set forth by de Laubenfels (2015), the species in the P. neriifolius complex include:
Type Nepal, Bagmati, Sanku, 1821, Wallich Catalogue no. 6052a (lect BM) (Farjon 2010). Synonymy (de Laubenfels 2015:
Evergreen trees to 24 m tall; diameter, branching and crown not stated. Bark not stated. Twigs not stated. Buds 4 × 4 mm; bud scales erect, triangular. Leaves dimorphic, the juvenile leaves much larger than adult leaves, juvenile leaves 24 × 1.5 cm, narrowly lanceolate, acute. Adult leaves on 3 mm petioles, lanceolate or linear, 10-12 × 1-1.2 cm, tapering distally to an acute apex (base not stated), proximal midrib (upper, lower or both: not stated) raised, ca. 1 mm wide; distal midrib not stated. Pollen cones sessile, in 1s to 3s, 32 × 3.5 mm. Seed cones subtended by 2 foliola 2 mm long; peduncles 6-12 mm; receptacles 8-12 mm long, fleshy and red when mature; seeds with covers globular, 8-12 × 8 mm (de Laubenfels 2015).
Andaman Islands; Brunei; Cambodia; India: Assam; Indonesia (many provinces); Myanmar; Philippines; Thailand; and Vietnam (de Laubenfels 2015). Even with the segregation of 17 other species (named above), it remains the most widely-distributed species of Podocarpus. Based on a broader but overall similar interpretation of this widespread species, de Laubenfels (1988) described its habitat as follows: In most areas it appears as an understory tree with occasional much larger, emergent specimens in the canopy but in other areas, such as Java, Fiji, etc. it is normally a canopy tree. Habitats vary: rarely riverine, often on rocky hilltops, in mossy forest, twice recorded from limestone, and twice from swampy forest. In Sarawak it is found on kerangas in heath forest and on sandstone ridges, but also on andesitic laterites, which is the common latosol in Java, and sandy clay. In the Morobe District (New Guinea) it is recorded from ultrabasic [substrates]. As to associates it is recorded from pelawan (Tristania) forest on sandstone ridges in S. Borneo; in the Javanese mountain forest its codominants are Dacrycarpus imbricatus and Altingia noronhae; in the Morobe District (New Guinea) it is associated with Anisoptera and Flindersia in the canopy.
In Vietam there are two species of Podocarpus, P. neriifolius and P. neglectus, the latter being a small understory tree. Documentation on Podocarpus in Vietnam seems to focus on the forest dominant tree, P. neriifolius. It is said to occur in Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Yen Bai and Tuyen Quang, Son La, Lang Son, Hoa Binh, Ninh Binh, Quang Ninh, and Quang Binh. Best occurrences are in Na Hang (Tuyen Quang) and Ma river area (Son La), at altitudes between 300-1500 m, sometimes down to 200m (Quang Ninh). It occurs as scattered individuals in remaining primary forests of in remote areas, growing sparsely along water courses, usually mixed with broad-leaved species such as Chamaecyparis hodginsii, Celtis australis, Altingia siamensis, Cinnamomum spp., Gironniera subaequalis, Mallotus yunnanensis, Castanopsis and Lithocarpus spp. It chiefly appears on humid, fertile soil, especially sandy soils, but also growing on clay-stony soil. (FIPI 1996).
Based on data from 140 collection localities (some of which doubtless represent other taxa), climate preferences include a mean annual temperature of 21.0°C, with an average minimum in the coldest month of 12.2°C, and a mean annual precipitation of 2080 mm (Biffin et al. 2011, Table S5). Zone 10 (cold hardiness limit between -1°C and +4.4°C) (Bannister and Neuner 2001).
No data as of 2023.01.19.
The wood is light in weight (density 0.46-0.47), easy to work with, but not durable. It is used for house-building, furniture and box-making, construction and boat-building, and as an ornamental (FIPI 1996).
With regard to the species' use in dendrochronology, Buckley et al. (1995) describe an exploratory analysis that showed the effectiveness of crossdating between Podocarpus samples. It should be noted that Thailand is home to three species in the P. neriifolius complex, also including P. hookeri and P. neglectus, and the researchers may have been using one of these other species. Pumijumnong (2013) briefly reviews use of the species (again, with uncertainty about which species in the P. neriifolius complex are being discussed) and notes that at least in some locales cambial activity persists throughout the year, indicating that dendrochronology may not be feasible in such areas.
I have seen no specific references, but de Laubenfels (2015) provides a long list of specimens examined, many listed in sufficient detail to allow visiting the collection site.
The epithet means "leaf similar to that of Nerium", also known as the oleander.
in Vietnam, it is strictly protected in Pu Mat Nature Reserve (Nghe An province) or Vu Quang Nature Reserve (Ha Tinh province) (FIPI 1996).
Buckley, Brendan M., Mike Barbetti, Manas Watanasak, Rosanne D'Arrigo, Saran Boonchirdchoo, and Sakunyut Sarutanon. 1995. Dendrochronological investigations in Thailand. IAWA Journal 16(4):393-409.
Lambert, A. B. 1824. A Description of the Genus Pinus, V. 2, p. 21. Available: Biodiversity Heritage Library, accessed 2023.01.19.
Laubenfels, David J. de. 2015. New sections and species of Podocarpus based on the taxonomic status of P. neriifolius (Podocarpaceae) in tropical Asia. Novon 24(2):133-152. https://doi.org/10.3417/2012091.
Pumijumnong, Nathsuda. 2013. Dendrochronology in Southeast Asia. Trees 27(2):343-358.
Gray, Netta E. 1958. A Taxonomic Revision of Podocarpus, XI. The South Pacific Species of Section Podocarpus, Subsection B. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 39:460. Available: Biodiversity Heritage Library, accessed 2023.01.08.
Luu and Thomas 2004 provide a description, range map, conservation status, drawings and photos, and a wealth of additional information. This analysis may conflate the 2 Vietnam species of Podocarpus.
Last Modified 2023-02-26
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