Podocarpus in the Philippines

                By: Atish Dipankar Sarker, CoE

                Edited by: Virginia G. Mata, MA

PODOCARPUS: A SOLUTION TO PHILIPPINE ECOLOGICAL AND

                          ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION CONCERNS

Podocarpus are evergreen shrubs or trees that grow usually from 1-25 meters in height. The name came from the Greek words podos meaning “foot” and carpos meaning “fruit”. It is a genus of conifers, the most numerous and widely distributed of the podocarp family PODOCARPACEAE.

Podocarpus and Podocarpaceae were endemic to the ancient supercontinent of GONDWANA, which broke up into Africa, South America, India, Australia- New Guinea, New Zealand and New Caledonia many billion years ago. Later after the changes of formation, positions and locations due to collisions of several continents the Podocarp species hopped across the Asia with Podocarpus macrophyllus reaching China, Japan, Malay Peninsula, Indonesia and the Philippines.

From that time the Podocarps reached the Philippine shores, up to the present, these trees continued to exist. They abound abundantly in the Northern coastal part of Luzon- the Batanes group of islands.

The two most common Podocarps in the Philippines are Podocarpus neriifolius and Podocarpus macrophyllus. These trees are not only good bonsai materials but also best for landscaping and are used as ornamental trees in business establishments, along the highways, avenues and boulevards. Some Asian countries like Taiwan and China plant these trees in their highways for beautification as well as ecological and environmental purposes.

The writer fervently hopes that someday, these species of Podocarps should also find a place not only in the cities and big towns but in the grassroots- in the municipal and barangay parks, plaza and streets as well.