Mostly trees, few shrubs. Podocarpus amarus can reach a height of approx. 60m. Located in tropical und subtropical rainforests. Parasitaxus ustus is the only known parasitic gymnosperm, whose host is Falcatifolium taxoides (Podocarpaceae)
Distribution
Concentraded to the southern hemisphere, although few species can be found on the carribean islands. NE- and S-Afrika, SE-Asia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, New Caledonia, Central- and South-America, Indochina
Floral characters
Often dioecious, rarely monoecious, unisexual
Leaf characters
Small (scale-like), thick (leathery) coriaceous, linear-oblong to ovate leaves with strong mid-vein without secondary veins. Spiral or subopposite arrangement
Stipules
absent
Fruit characters
Naked seed borne at the end of a fleshy receptacle that turns red at maturity. In a few cases (Decussocarpus and Prumnoptitys) the recetacle expands to cover the seeds.
Glands
absent
Hairs
absent
Latex
absent
Uses
Dacrydium cupressinum and Podocarpus spicatus used for timber
Chemical characters
typical conifers with ethereal oils and resins. Podocarups nakaii: contains chemicals that resemble the ecdosis hormons Ecdyson and Ecdysteron of insects. Some species proved to be resistant against the shipworm Turedo navalis
Distribution maps
(online von http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/ . Dort zitiert wie unter jedem Diagramm vermerkt):
