Common Name:

General Information

Podocarpus coriaceus is an evergreen shrub or a tree with a narrow to spreading crown. In higher, exposed areas it can be just a few metres tall, but in some parts of the Caribbean, such as Trinidad it becomes a dominant species with specimens growing up to 30 metres tall with a bole 60cm or more in diameter that can be unbranched for 12 metres[, , ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its useful timber, which is used locally and also exported. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental[].
An unquantified decline in the past due to the logging of larger, accessible trees is suspected. However, there appears to be no recent or continuing decline in this species and on this basis the plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Caribbean - Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis.

Habitat

Montane forests and wooded slopes, at elevations from 500 - 1,065 metres[]. A tree of upland areas, rarely occurring below 600 metres, found on poor sandy or semi-swampy soils in Trinidad[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Podocarpus coriaceus is a plant of moderate elevations in the wild, it can be grown at low elevations down to sea level so long as there is enough rainfall. It grows well in Dominica Botanic Gardens, at an elevation of about 22metres, with a mean annual rainfall of 2,125mm[]. Plants can withstand occasional, short-lived light frosts, tolerating temperatures down to around -1°c to +4.4°c[].
Plants grow on poor, sandy soils in the wild. They are tolerant of high winds[, ].
The plants produce pollen and seed virtually throughout the year[].
Species in this genus are generally slow-growing[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The tree produces a good quality wood. However, in many areas the trees can be small and of poor form and therefore yield little usable wood[].
The wood is a uniform pale yellowish brown; the sapwood and heartwood are not separate except in old trees, which have a reddish-brown core up to 15cm wide. The texture is fine and uniform; the grain straight; gum ducts are absent but resin cells are present, giving the wood a finely stippled appearance resembling white pine; no odour or taste is evident in seasoned wood[]. The wood is soft, light in weight, of good quality, durable in contact with the ground where it can be expected to last 10 to 15 years under average conditions and very durable out of the soil[]. The wood works easily with all hand and power tools; it nails easily without splitting and takes stain, varnish, and paint satisfactorily[]. The wood has proved suitable for the better class of joinery work. Low-cost furniture, and for general utility. Where high strength is not required. It should also be suitable for boxes, crates, interior work, concrete forms, and many other purposes for which pine is used. Because of its low shrinkage, stability, close straight grain, and good machining characteristics, podocarp should be very suitable for patternmaking[].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

The seed can be sown at any time of the year in a sandy soil, though it is probably best sown as soon as it is ripe[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until large enough to plant out.
Cuttings of half-ripe terminal shoots, 5 - 10cm long, in a frame[].

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