Common Name: Northern Brown Pine

General Information

Podocarpus grayae is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 30 metres tall[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for commercial use of its wood. It makes a fine potted plant for indoors, tolerating the low light levels[].
Podocarpus grayae is very widespread and in many places common, with abundant regeneration. An unquantified decline in the past (mostly more than three generations ago) has now virtually ceased, due to protection of remaining forests and altered forest management. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Australia -northeastern Northern Territory, northern Queensland

Habitat

Well developed rainforests on a variety of sites; at elevations from sea level to around 1,000 metres[]. Coastal flats directly behind the mangroves, along streams, and on low mountain ridges, occasionally in patches of rainforest along streams[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	22.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Podocarpus grayae is widespread in the subcoastal warm subtropical to tropical rainforests of N Queensland, where it occurs at elevations from near sea level to around 750 metres[]. Based on data from 30 collection localities, it grows in areas where the mean annual temperature is 24.2°c, with an average minimum in the coldest month of 15.8°c, and a mean annual precipitation of 2,010mm[].

This species has been erroneouly misidentified as Podocarpus neriifolius in the past and its uses may therefore have been similar to those of that widespread (but not Australian) species[].
The living bark is very strong and fibrous[].
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

Large trees are a valuable source of timber but data on its exploitation are lacking, primarily due to the fact that it has been described as a new species only relatively recently[].
The timber of this species is useful and can be used for much the same purposes as Sundacarpus amara[].

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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