Podocarpus nivalis

Hook. (1843)

Common names

Snow totara.

Taxonomic notes

Syn.: P. montanus Colenso non Britton; P. nivalis var. erectus Cockayne (Farjon 1998). Type locality: Mount Tongariro. Type: K, Bidwill (Allan 1961). There is a naturally occurring hybrid between P. acutifolius and P. nivalis.

Description

A prostrate or semi-prostrate shrub with wide-spreading branches, sometimes almost a miniature tree. Leaves close-set, spirally arranged, erect or subpatent, rigid, coriaceous, margins thickened, linear-oblong, obtuse, midvein prominent, 0.5-1.5 cm. × 2-4 mm. Pollen cones axillary, 0.5-1.5 cm. long (on peduncle 3-5 mm. long) solitary or up to 4 per peduncle. Ovules axillary, peduncle 3 mm. long, with a receptacle of two acute, red, swollen bracts. Seeds solitary, ovoid, 3.5-5.5 mm. long, obtusely pointed, nutlike (Allan 1961, Salmon 1996). In its native habitat, there really are no remotely similar species; it is instantly recognizable.

Distribution and Ecology

New Zealand: N and S Islands, in upper forest margins and subalpine scrub from lat. 36° 50' southwards, also in lowland forest in Westland on the South Island (Allan 1961). Based on data from 416 collection localities, it grows at elevations of 1100 ±290 m. Within its range, mean annual temperature is 6.9°C, with an average minimum in the coldest month of -2.6°C (the lowest recorded for a species of Podocarpaceae), and a mean annual precipitation of 2620 mm (Biffin et al. 2011, Table S5). Hardy to Zone 7 (cold hardiness limit between -17.7°C and -12.2°C) (Bannister and Neuner 2001).

P. nivalis is subject to winter bronzing. This is a common condition in the foliage of small-leaved conifers that experience prolonged seasonal low temperatures; mostly seen in Juniperus and other Cupressaceae (e.g. Cryptomeria), it's also been recorded in Podocarpus nivalis, Sciadopitys verticillata, and perhaps other podocarps. It occurs when the plant breaks down chlorophyll and other pigments, and its coloration becomes dominated by carotenoids. This process occurs within the chloroplasts, which become chromoplasts, a type of plastid mostly known for coloring angiosperm fruits. The carotenoids, besides their role as pigments, also act as antioxidants and reduce the potential for cold-related damage to foliage (Contreras et al. 2013, Sadali et al. 2019).

P. nivalis is subject to a fungal leaf spot disease caused by Corynelia tropica (Hood 1985).

Remarkable Specimens

No data as of 2026-01-24.

Ethnobotany

See Conifers of New Zealand for a review of the historic role of forests in native and European cultures of New Zealand. However, humans have had relatively little interaction with this largely subalpine species.

Observations

It is very common in the high country of Tongariro National Park, and can be seen in that area along most walks that pass through alpine shrub communities, where it is often a dominant species. These alpine shrublands are very well displayed around Ketetahi Hut on the Tongariro Crossing, at high elevations on Hauhungatahi, and on walks around Whakapapa on Ruapehu, such as the Taranaki Falls and Silica Rapids tracks.

Remarks

The epithet means "of the snowy places".

Citations

Allan, H. H. 1961. Flora of New Zealand. Volume I, Indigenous Tracheophyta. Wellington: R.E. Owen Government Printer.

Contreras, R. N., J. M. Ruter, J. S. Owen Jr., and A. Hoegh. 2013. Chlorophyll, carotenoid, and visual color rating of Japanese-cedar grown in the southeastern United States. HortScience 48(12):1452-1456.

Hood, I. A. 1985. Algal and fungal leaf spots of native plants. New Zealand Forest Service, Forest Pathology in New Zealand No. 12.

Hooker, W. J. 1843. Icones Plantarum 6: t. 582. Available: Biodiversity Heritage Library, accessed 2025.02.23.

Sadali, N. M., R. G. Sowden, Q. Ling, and R. P. Jarvis. 2019. Differentiation of chromoplasts and other plastids in plants. Plant Cell Rep 38(7):803-818. doi.org/10.1007/s00299-019-02420-2.

See also

The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network, accessed 2010.11.22.

Simpson, Philip. 2017. Totara: A Natural and Cultural History. Auckland University Press, 287 p. Great book on the trees that bear the common name totara.