Podocarpaceae



Podocarpaceae.

The family has about 18 genera and 180 species.
Seven genera and 16 species are native in Australia especially northern Queensland.

Trees or shrubs with flattened oblong or scale-like leaves.
Leaves are spirally arranged but appear to be in 2 ranks because of the twist at the base.

Most have male and female cones on different trees.
Male cones, on axillary shoots, have spirally arranged microsporophylls each with 2 microsporangia.

Female cones are on the ends of branches or short axillary shoots.

Pinophyta with flattened adult leaves are:
    Araucariaceae (these have no midrib) and
    Podocarpaceae (midrib present but sometimes indistinct).

J.F.

Genus