Podocarpus pilgeri Foxw.

Decumbent or erect shrubs, or trees to 25 m × 0.6 m dbh. Crown spreading, irregular. Bark fibrous, flaking in longitudinal strips. Branches ascending or spreading in trees; more variable in shrubs. Branchlets slender, smooth. Terminal buds 3–4 mm long, with erect to slightly spreading triangular to lanceolate scales, to 4 mm long. Leaves variable depending on the form of the plant; shrubs, juvenile trees and shade branches of adult trees bear larger leaves than branches of adult trees in full sun. Leaves on shrubs etc. to 7 × 1.2 cm, base and apex tapering; leaves on trees etc. linear-elliptic to oblong, (1.5–)2.5–5 × 0.4–0.7(–1) cm, usually widest above the middle, base tapering, short petiolate, slightly twisted, margins slightly revolute, apex variable, usually blunt but often acute on leaves in full sun. Upper surface with midrib acutely raised, very narrow; lower surface with midrib flattened or obtusely raised, to 1 mm wide, with two broad stomatal bands. Pollen cones solitary, cylindrical, 15–30 × c. 3 mm at maturity, on a 2–4 mm peduncle. Seed cones solitary, pedunculate; receptacle 10–12 mm, subtended by 2 bracts 1.5–2 mm long, greenish-yellow at first, ripening bright red to purple. Seeds ovoid to globose, covered in a glaucous-green epimatium, purplish-green at maturity, 10–12 × 8–9 mm. (Farjon 2017; Fu, Li & Mill 1999).

Distribution  Cambodia China Hainan, Guangxi, S Yunnan Indonesia Kalimantan, Maluku, Sulawesi, West New Guinea Laos Malaysia Borneo Philippines Vietnam

Habitat Montane forest to subalpine scrub, (700–)1200–3300 m asl.

USDA Hardiness Zone 9

RHS Hardiness Rating H3

Conservation status Least concern (LC)

Taxonomic note We follow Plants of the World Online (2022) in treating Podocarpus wangii C.C. Chang as synonymous with P. pilgeri. The authors of the Flora of China account recognise P. wangii and refer Chinese populations of P. pilgeri to that species (Fu, Li & Mill 1999).