Podocarpus acutifolius
Common names
Westland tōtara, needle-leaved tōtara
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Gymnosperms
Flower colours
No flowers
Detailed description
Shrub or small tree up to 15 m tall. Trunk often several (due to suckering from base), main trunk up to 0.4 m diameter breast height. Bark somewhat chartaceous, stringy and thin, flaking readily in long or short strips. Branches erect, slender up to 9 m. Branchlets erect, slender initially densely leafy, leaves shedding along branchlet with age. Leaves 15.0–23.0 × 0.75–3.5 mm, dark green to yellow-green, linear, acuminate, pungent, mid-vein indistinct; stomatal lines often conspicuous. Male strobili axillary, solitary or up to 4 together on common peduncle 2–3 mm long; peduncle furnished above with 2 narrow-triangular keeled scales and below with 4 ovate scales; strobilus 10–20 mm long; apiculus obtuse. Ovules solitary or in pairs on peduncle c.1 mm long; receptacle 2.5–7.0 mm long, red irregularly elliptic-oblong to obovate-oblong, slightly compressed, smooth, swollen (fleshy). Seeds solitary or paired, 4.0–5.5 mm long, green when fresh, elliptic to ovate-elliptic, slightly asymmetric, narrow-acuminate, blunt or subacute.
Similar taxa
Podocarpus acutifolius is superficially similar to P. totara var. waihoensis—which is is believed to be a hybrid arising from introgression between P. acutifolius and P. totara var. totara (see Wardle 1972). Both tōtara species are occasionally found growing sympatrically or even syntopically. Podocarpus acutifolius differs from P. totara var. waihoensis by its usually smaller shrubby growth habit, much narrow leaves tree habit, and seeds which are elliptic to ovate-elliptic and narrowly beaked (cf. broadly elliptic, shortly and more broadly beaked). From the other totara, P. acutifolius differs by the suckering and multi-trunked often shrubby growth habit, much slender branches, narrow-linear leaves, and elliptic to ovate-elliptic, narrowly beaked seeds.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (mostly westerly from the Buller River and adjoining tributaries, west and south to Martins Bay)
Habitat
Lowland to montane along river flats, in forest or open shrubland and grassland. Often forming dense thickets along active and passive river channels.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Not Threatened
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
September–November
Fruiting
December–June
Propagation technique
Easily grown from hardwood cuttings and fresh seed. Does well in full sun in a well drained, moist fertile soil. Podocarpus acutifolius is moderately fast growing due to its compact, upright branching growth habit makes an excellent hedge. The species is rather variable ranging from large shrubs to small trees and there does seem to be some genetic basis for this. The most commonly cultivated form of it (at least in the North Island) makes a densely branched shrub up to 4 m tall and 2 m wide. Although reasonably drought tolerant, P. acutifolius does best in a damp soil, and is an excellent shrub to plant along waterways in urban areas. When planted in mass its fine sharp needles serve as an almost unequalled deterrent to animals and unwanted “visitors”.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FAC: Facultative
Commonly occurs as either a hydrophyte or non-hydrophyte (non-wetlands).
Other information
Etymology
podocarpus: Foot or stalk fruit
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
PODACU
Chromosome number
2n = 34
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Allan HH. 1961. Flora of New Zealand, Volume I. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledones. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 1085 p.
Wardle P. 1972. Podocarpus totara var. waihoensis var. nov.: the result of introgressive hybridisation between P. totara and P. acutifolius. New Zealand Journal of Botany 10(1): 195–201. https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.1972.10430218.
Webb CJ, Simpson MJA. 2001. Seeds of New Zealand Gymnosperms and Dicotyledons. Manuka Press, Christchurch. 428 p.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 4 January 2012. Description adapted from Allan (1961) and Webb & Simpson (2001).
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Podocarpus acutifolius Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/podocarpus-acutifolius/ (Date website was queried)