Envoy at 16:59, 31 October 2007

2007-10-31T16:59:28Z

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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Nageia''
| image = Podocarpus nageia SZ137.png
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''[[Nageia nagi]]''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Pinophyta]]
| classis = [[Pinophyta|Pinopsida]]
| ordo = [[Pinales]]
| familia = [[Podocarpaceae]]
| genus = '''''Nageia'''''
| genus_authority = [[Joseph Gaertner|Gaertn.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''[[Nageia fleuryi]]'' 
''[[Nageia formosensis]]'' 
''[[Nageia maxima]]'' 
''[[Nageia motleyi]]'' 
''[[Nageia nagi]]'' 
''[[Nageia wallichiana]]''
}}

'''''Nageia''''' is a [[genus]] of [[conifer]]s belonging to the podocarp family [[Podocarpaceae]]. ''Nageia'' includes evergreen shrubs and trees, from one to 54 meters in height. Six [[species]] are recognized, with ''N. formosensis'' recently split out from ''N. nagi''. The podocarp genera have been reshuffled by various botanists; most recently, several species formerly classed as ''Nageia'' were moved to the new genus ''[[Retrophyllum]]'', and ''N. falcata'' was moved to the new genus ''[[Afrocarpus]]''.

The species of ''Nageia'' are distinguished from other genera in the Podocarpaceae by their broad, flat sub-opposite [[leaf|leaves]] with no midrib, superficially similar to those of the unrelated ''[[Agathis]]'' ([[Araucariaceae]]). The leaves vary from 5-20 cm long and 2-6 cm broad. The [[conifer cone|cones]] have several sterile and one (rarely two) fertile scales, each fertile scale with one [[seed]]. Unlike ''Podocarpus'', the scales do not become fleshy, but the seed coat develops into a [[drupe]]-like fleshy covering 1-2 cm diameter, which attracts [[bird]]s, which then disperse the seeds in their droppings.

''Nageia'' can be found in the [[tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests]] of [[Asia]] and [[Australasia ecozone|Australasia]], from [[Assam]] in eastern [[India]] across [[Southeast Asia]] to southern [[China]] and southern [[Japan]], and across [[Malesia]], from the [[Malay peninsula]] across [[Indonesia]] to [[New Guinea]] and [[New Britain]]. An outpost of ''N. wallichiana'' is found in the [[South Western Ghats montane rain forests]] of southern India, where it is thought to be a relatively recent colonist in biogeographical terms.

''Nageia'', like many podocarps, can usually be found scattered throughout the forest mixed with other trees, and is rarely if ever found growing in pure stands. The wood is yellowish, typical of podocarps, and a few species are locally important for timber.

[[Category:Podocarpaceae]]
[[Category:Flora of Asia]]

Nageia - Revision history

Envoy at 16:59, 31 October 2007