Podocarpus laetus

Botanical Description

Podocarpus laetus is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 20 metres tall. The stout bole can be 125cm in diameter[ 44 Title Flora of New Zealand. Publication Author Allan. H. H. Website http://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Book.aspx?fileName=Flora%201.xml Publisher Government Printer, Wellington. Year 1961 ISBN - Description The standard work, in 5 volumes though only the first two are of interest to the plant project. Very good on habitats. There is also an on-line version. ]. The wood was much used by the Maori and early settlers and the tree became heavily exploited as a commercial timber. However, the use of this species as a timber tree has virtually vanished with the legal protection against logging of native trees in New Zealand. Currently, the tree can only be logged on strictly limited levels if it has first been planted and grown to maturity. Although past logging has affected this species in a similar way as it has some other New Zealand podocarps, the extensive range, in combination with its greater altitudinal range, has guaranteed its survival over a sufficiently large area so that it has not met the criteria for a threatened category under criterion A. As with the other species, the current protective measures in New Zealand will cause this species to expand again in future. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].