Common Name:

General Information

Podocarpus urbanii is an evergreen tree that rarely exceeds 10 metres in height[].
The tree is harvested from the wild (often illegally) for its wood which is used locally and traded.
Podocarpus urbanii has an estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) of 50 km2. The ridge forest of the Blue Mountain and John Crow Mountains National Park where it occurs, is considered to represent a single location (especially in relation to the impact of invasive species). In addition to the documented stands there are also thought to be a number of inaccessible stands which have yet to be documented. Even though it is afforded protection within the Blue and John Crow Mountains NP, established in 1990, the general habitat is still under considerable threat from deforestation resulting from subsistence and commercial farmers using slash and burn techniques to convert forests to agricultural land. Illegal timber harvesting is a significant threat while invasive species that are rapidly spreading in closed canopy forests and along tracks and stream sides also represent a threat. Due to its limited EOO, presence at a single location, recent and continuing decline in mature individuals as well as a recent and continuing decline in the extent, area and quality of habitat, this species is classified as 'Critically Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Caribbean - eastern Jamaica

Habitat

High montane cloud forests along the ridge of the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, less common where slopes are steep or unstable; at elevations from 915 - 2,265 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Critically Endangered
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 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

The wood is highly valued for furniture making and as such is illegally harvested and sold for this industry[].

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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