This name is not universally accepted. Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1 - 1192. treat it as Podocarpus coriaceus.

Common Name:

General Information

Podocarpus trinitensis is an evergreen tree
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood.
Podocarpus trinitensis has a very narrow distribution which is restricted to one known historic location on Tobago and 12 localities in North and Central Mountain Ranges in Trinidad. Although there is no current evidence that this species is under direct threat it would still be prudent to list this species as Near Threatened. As it has such a narrow range, it would not take much in a change of circumstances, such as an increase in human-set fires, illegal wood poaching, both of which already occur in the protected areas on Trinidad, to cause a decrease in its area of occupancy. Like all podocarps the wood of Podocarpus trinitensis is of great value! The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Caribbean - Trinidad

Habitat

Lowland tropical rainforest; at elevations from 120 - 600 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Near Threatened
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	0.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

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

Like all members of the genus Podocarpus its wood has great value and historically it will have been used locally. There are no recorded present-day uses[].

We do not have a specific description for the wood, but the following is a general desciption of Podocarpus wood in the Americas:-
The heartwood is pale yellow to yellowish brown; it is not distinct from the sapwood. The texture is fine and uniform without conspicuous zones of latewood; somewhat lustrous; the grain is usually straight but may be slightly interlocked; odour or taste are absent or not distinctive in seasoned wood. The heartwood from trees grown in Belize is reported to be moderately durable with ground contact under tropical exposure. Durability of other species from elsewhere are reported as low. The wood air-seasons rapidly with little or no warping or checking. Movement in service is rated as small. It works easily with hand and power tools; nails easily; and takes stain, varnish, and paint satisfactorily. The wood is used for joinery, millwork, furniture components, boxes and crates, general construction, veneer and plywood, pulp and paper, pattern making[].

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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