Podocarpus elatus
Plum Pine
Plum Pine
Wikipedia links: Gymnosperms > Cupressales > Podocarpaceae > Podocarpus elatus
Other links:
Common name: Plum Pine
Also, the brown pine or the Illawarra plum
Conservation status: . . .
Etymology:
The name comes from Greek πούς (poús, "foot") + καρπός (karpós, "fruit")
Cones and seed:
The seed cones are dark blue-purple, berry-like, with a fleshy base 2-2.5 cm diameter
They bear a single oval or globose seed 1 cm in diameter
Leaves:
The leaves are lanceolate, 5–15 cm long (to 25 cm long on vigorous young trees) and 6–18 mm broad
Stem & branches:
A trunk of up to 1.5 m diameter
Roots:
Habit:
It is a medium to large evergreen tree growing to 30–36 m tall
Habitat:
Distribution:
Endemic to the east coast of Australia, in eastern NSW and eastern Queensland
Additional notes:
Uses
The fleshy part of the seed cone is edible, used in condiments
The timber was prized for furniture, joinery, boat planking, lining and piles in salt water
Podocarpus elatus is an attractive ornamental tree
In older Australian suburbs, the plum pine is used as an ornamental street tree, such as at Baldry Street, Chatswood
Sources of information: