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Podocarpus rumphii Blume

Family Name:	Podocarpaceae
Synonyms:	Podocarpus koordersii, Margbensonia rumphii, Podocarpus philippinensis, Nageia rumphii
Common Name:	Jati Laut, Kayu China, Sandu, Malakauayan, Mermolas, 海罗汉树

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Fruit or Vegetable

Herb or Spice

Coastal Plant

Suitable for Roadsides

Tree

Podocarpus rumphii. close-up view of dispersal unit, with mature (red) receptacle and immature (blue receptacles)

Podocarpus rumphii, close-up with dispersal unit with mature red receptacle & green seed

Podocarpus rumphii. close-up of dispersal units with mature red receptacles

Podocarpus rumphii, leaves & dispersal units

Podocarpus rumphii, trunk with fissured bark

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Gymnosperms (Non-Flowering Seed Plants) (Conifer)
Plant Growth Form	Tree (Medium (16m-30m))
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Plant Shape	Conical
Maximum Height	20 m to 30 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Southern China, Taiwan, Philippines, Peninsular Malaysia, Java, Sulawesi, Papua New Guinea
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Monsoon Forest)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal

CITES Protection

True

Description and Ethnobotany

Others - Plant Morphology	Gymnosperm (non-flowering, seed-producing), coniferous tree, up to 45m height in the wild. Crown is conical for young trees, becoming more oval with age. Leaves linear-lanceolate, pendulous, giving tree a slightly weeping appearance.Dioecious species -- male and female cones found on separate trees. Male cones are pollen-bearing, cylindrical, creamy-white, produced in clusters of up to 8 cones. Female cones are ovule and seed-bearing, solitary, with swollen receptables. Seeds are naked (ie. not enclosed within fruits), green with whitish waxy bloom, resting on top of swollen fleshy receptacles which mature from blue to bright red. Fleshy receptacles edible and reported to be sweet.Slow-growing. Cultivated singly or in groups for neat appearance and minimal leaf litter. Genus name 'Podocarpus' is derived from the Greek words for foot and fruit, a reference to the swollen stalk or receptacle that holds the seed.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Food (Herb and Spice): Fleshy receptacles are edible and said to be sweet. (Fruit & Vegetable) Others: Wood considered to be premium softwood timber, used for making houses, canoes, household utensils and carving.

Others - Plant Morphology

Gymnosperm (non-flowering, seed-producing), coniferous tree, up to 45m height in the wild. Crown is conical for young trees, becoming more oval with age. Leaves linear-lanceolate, pendulous, giving tree a slightly weeping appearance.Dioecious species -- male and female cones found on separate trees. Male cones are pollen-bearing, cylindrical, creamy-white, produced in clusters of up to 8 cones. Female cones are ovule and seed-bearing, solitary, with swollen receptables. Seeds are naked (ie. not enclosed within fruits), green with whitish waxy bloom, resting on top of swollen fleshy receptacles which mature from blue to bright red. Fleshy receptacles edible and reported to be sweet.Slow-growing. Cultivated singly or in groups for neat appearance and minimal leaf litter. Genus name 'Podocarpus' is derived from the Greek words for foot and fruit, a reference to the swollen stalk or receptacle that holds the seed.

Ethnobotanical Uses

Food (Herb and Spice): Fleshy receptacles are edible and said to be sweet. (Fruit & Vegetable)
Others: Wood considered to be premium softwood timber, used for making houses, canoes, household utensils and carving.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Fruits
Landscape Uses	Roadside Tree / Palm, Coastal, General

SGMP Treatment

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Pollination Method(s)	Abiotic (Wind)
Seed or Spore Dispersal	Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Ant, Beetle))

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate	Slow

Rootzone Tolerance	Fertile Loamy Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Waterlogged Soils (Drains Site), Saline Soils / Salt Spray
Maintenance Requirements	Moderate
Propagation Method	Seed, Stem Cutting

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Smooth, Glossy / Shiny, Leathery

Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Alternate
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Lanceolate, Linear)
Foliar Venation	Parallel
Foliar Margin	Entire
Foliar Apex - Tip	Acute, Acuminate
Typical Foliar Area	Notophyll ( 20.25cm2 - 45 cm2 )
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio	3.0 (Tree - Intermediate Canopy)

Non - Foliar and Storage

Trunk Type (Non Palm)	Woody
Bark Colour(s)	Reddish-brown
Mature Bark Texture	Fissured

Stem Type & Modification	Woody
Root Type	Underground (Tap Root, Fibrous Root)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality	Unisexual Flowers , Dioecious
Flower Colour(s)	Brown, Cream / Off-White, Yellow / Golden

Flowering Habit

Polycarpic

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Green, Red
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Fleshy Fruit , Berry

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID	1785
Species ID	3078
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.