de Laubenf.
Kingdom Plantae
Division Gymnospermae
Order Coniferales
Family Podocarpaceae
Genus Podocarpus
Species macrocarpus
Malakawayan (Itneg.)
Medium sized tree up to 20 m high. Leaves thick with a nearly continuous upper hypoderm, shiny on the upper surface, linear-lanceolate, acute but often slightly rounded at the apex, 8-15 cm long x 9-14 mm wide, gradually narrowed at the base more or less to petiole of several mm, midvein marked above by a distinct rib with sloping to steep sides and more broadly and less distinctly below. Foliar buds globular to cylindrical, 3 mm long -- 2-4 mm in diameter with the triangular scales spreading slightly. Pollen cones unknown. Seed structure on a peduncle 3-12 mm long; receptacle formed of two enlarged united bracts with indistinct apices, the fertile bract 10-12 mm long, the sterile bract several mm shorter, subtended by two lanceolate bracts neraly 2 mm long; seed with its leathery enveloping scale globular but indistinctly raised at the base by a broad stalk about 2 mm long, the seed with its stalk about 15 mm long x 10 mm in diameter, the abaxial side less curved than the opposite side. The receptacle becomes fleshy and purple when ripe. The seeds of this species is quite unusually large for Podocarpus; and are formed in the middle of the year but do not ripen until the next year so that most collections include the fruits.
In primary forests from near sea-level (50-130m in Zambales) to about 2,100 m in the Benguet Highlands.
Endemic to Luzon, being reported only from the following localities: Ilocos Norte province, Mt. Pico de Loro; Mountain Province, S. of Bontoc; Mt. Polis; Benguet province, Mt. Sto. Tomas (Tonglon); Zambales province, Sta. Cruz, Guisguis; Cato Mansiloc; Quezon province, Mt. Binuang.
The wood is used in aeroplane construction as substitute for sitka and white spruce, in the manufacture of sounding boards, pencils, tennis racket handles.