Podocarpus macrophyllus
Encyclopedia
Podocarpus macrophyllus (Kusamaki or Inumaki) is a conifer in the genus Podocarpus
, family Podocarpaceae
. It is the northernmost species of the genus, native to southern Japan
and China
. Kusamaki (クサマキ) and Inumaki (犬槇) are Japanese names for this tree, and Kusamaki is increasingly being used as the English name as well, replacing the old, botanically inaccurate names Buddhist Pine and Fern Pine (it is not a pine
). In China, it is known as 羅漢松 luohan song, which literally means "arhat
pine".
It is a small to medium size evergreen
tree
, reaching 20 m tall. The leaves
are strap-shaped, 6–12 cm long, and about 1 cm broad, with a central midrib. The cones
are borne on a short stem, and have 2-4 scales, usually only one (sometimes two) fertile, each fertile scale bearing a single apical seed
10–15 mm. When mature, the scales swell up and become reddish purple, fleshy and berry
-like, 10–20 mm long; they are then eaten by bird
s, which disperse the seeds in their droppings.
, Japan. It is a popular large shrub or small tree in gardens, particularly in Japan and the southeastern United States
. The ripe cone arils are edible, though the seed should not be eaten. Because of its resistance to termite
s and water, inumaki is used for quality wooden houses in Okinawa Prefecture
, Japan.
Buddhist Pine is highly regarded as a feng shui
tree in 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.http://www.hk-love-trees.net/eng/threats_tree.html
Podocarpus
Podocarpus is a genus of conifers, the most numerous and widely distributed of the podocarp family Podocarpaceae. The 105 species of Podocarpus are evergreen shrubs or trees from 1-25 m in height...
, family Podocarpaceae
Podocarpaceae
Podocarpaceae is a large family of mainly Southern Hemisphere conifers, comprising about 156 species of evergreen trees and shrubs. It contains 19 genera if Phyllocladus is included and if Manoao and Sundacarpus are recognized....
. It is the northernmost species of the genus, native to southern Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Kusamaki (クサマキ) and Inumaki (犬槇) are Japanese names for this tree, and Kusamaki is increasingly being used as the English name as well, replacing the old, botanically inaccurate names Buddhist Pine and Fern Pine (it is not a pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
). In China, it is known as 羅漢松 luohan song, which literally means "arhat
Arhat (Buddhism)
Arhat , in Buddhism, signifies a spiritual practitioner who has realized certain high stages of attainment. The implications of the term vary based on the respective schools and traditions.-Etymology:...
pine".
It is a small to medium size evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
, reaching 20 m tall. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are strap-shaped, 6–12 cm long, and about 1 cm broad, with a central midrib. The cones
Conifer cone
A cone is an organ on plants in the division Pinophyta that contains the reproductive structures. The familiar woody cone is the female cone, which produces seeds. The male cones, which produce pollen, are usually herbaceous and much less conspicuous even at full maturity...
are borne on a short stem, and have 2-4 scales, usually only one (sometimes two) fertile, each fertile scale bearing a single apical seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
10–15 mm. When mature, the scales swell up and become reddish purple, fleshy and berry
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
-like, 10–20 mm long; they are then eaten by bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, which disperse the seeds in their droppings.
Symbolism, cultivation and uses
Kusamaki is the state tree of Chiba PrefectureChiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
, Japan. It is a popular large shrub or small tree in gardens, particularly in Japan and the southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
. The ripe cone arils are edible, though the seed should not be eaten. Because of its resistance to termite
Termite
Termites are a group of eusocial insects that, until recently, were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera , but are now accepted as the epifamily Termitoidae, of the cockroach order Blattodea...
s and water, inumaki is used for quality wooden houses in Okinawa Prefecture
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
, Japan.
Buddhist Pine is highly regarded as a feng shui
Feng shui
Feng shui ' is a Chinese system of geomancy believed to use the laws of both Heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu ....
tree in 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.http://www.hk-love-trees.net/eng/threats_tree.html