Dwarf plum pine

Description

Podocarpus spinulosus, the Dwarf Plum Pine or Spiny-leaf Podocarp, is a species of podocarp native to the warm-temperate coastal regions of New South Wales and southern Queensland. It is generally an understorey shrub, rarely growing more than 2 m tall.It was first described by James Edward Smith in 1817 as Taxus spinulosa. It was reclassified 'as Podocarpus spinulosus in 1825.The leaves are needle-like, 2–8 cm (0.79–3.15 in) long, sharply pointed, green above and with glaucous stomatal bands beneath. The cones are berry-like, with a fleshy, edible purple-black aril 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) long and one (rarely two) apical seed 1 cm (0.5 in) long.