Podocarpus elatus
{{Short description|Species of conifer}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Podocarpus elatus00.jpg
| image_caption = drawing by Margaret Flockton
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = {{Cite journal | author = Farjon, A. | title = Podocarpus elatus | journal = The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species | volume = 2013 | page = e.T42500A2983200 | publisher = IUCN | date = 2013 | url = http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/42500/0 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T42500A2983200.en | access-date = 13 December 2017| doi-access = free }}
| genus = Podocarpus
| species = elatus
}}
Podocarpus elatus, known as the plum pine, the brown pine, the Illawarra plum or the Queensland Christmas tree, is a species of Podocarpus endemic to the east coast of Australia, in eastern New South Wales and eastern Queensland.
It is a medium to large evergreen tree growing to 30–36 m tall with a trunk up to 1.5 m diameter. The leaves are lanceolate, 5–15 cm long (to 25 cm long on vigorous young trees) and 6–18 mm broad. The seed cones are dark blue-purple, berry-like, with a fleshy base 2-2.5 cm diameter bearing a single oval or globose seed 1 cm in diameter.
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.Willoughby City Council, Urban Tree Management Policy, Volume 3, Street Tree Master Plan. June 2014. page 66
The fruit has been used as a suitable alternative to sloe berries in the production of sloe-style gins in Australia.{{Cite web |title=Illawarra Plum 'Sloe-Style' Fruit Gin |url=https://southcoastdistillery.com/products/illawarra-plum-sloe-style-fruit-gin |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=South Coast Distillery |language=en}}
Gallery
Image:Podocarpus elatus - juvenile.jpg|juvenile foliage
Image:Podocarpus elatus foliage and bark.JPG|Podocarpus elatus trunk
Image:Podocarpus elatus foliage & cones.JPG|Podocarpus elatus foliage & naked seeds on fleshy receptacles
Image:Podocarpus elatus on sand.JPG|Podocarpus elatus growing in littoral rainforest on sand
Image:Podocarpus elatus bark & foliage.JPG|Podocarpus elatus bark & foliage
Image:Podocarpus elatus bark2.JPG|Podocarpus elatus bark
Image:Podocarpus elatus two seed cones.JPG|Podocarpus elatus unusually joined seed stems (receptacles)
Image:Podocarpus elatus seeds, by Omar Hoftun.jpg|Podocarpus elatus seeds
Image:Podocarpus elatus germinating.JPG|Podocarpus elatus germinating
Image:Podocarpus elatus Baldry street Chatswood.jpg|Baldry Street, Chatswood
References
{{Reflist}}
- ANU Forestry [http://sres.anu.edu.au/associated/fpt/nwfp/iplum/Iplum.html#anchor281213 Illawarra plum - Podocarpus elatus]
- Bruneteau, Jean-Paul, Tukka, Real Australian Food, {{ISBN|0-207-18966-8}}.
- Dallimore, W., & Jackson, A. B. (1966). Handbook of Coniferae and Ginkgoaceae. Arnold.
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060928003551/http://www.conifers.org/po/po/elatus.htm Gymnosperm Database: Podocarpus elatus]
- Low, Tim, Wild Food Plants of Australia, {{ISBN|0-207-16930-6}}.
- Floyd, A.G., Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia, Inkata Press 1989, {{ISBN|0-909605-57-2}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2504953}}
Category:Flora of New South Wales
Category:Endemic flora of Australia
Category:Least concern flora of Australia