Podocarpaceae

Podocarpaceae is a large family of mainly Southern Hemisphere conifers, comprising about 156 species of evergreen trees and shrubs. Podocarpus neriifolius D. Don (Podocarpaceae) is a tree growing in south Asian countries. While the wood of this plant is used as timber for furniture and in paper-making, its edible fruits are consumed raw or cooked, and decoctions from its leaves are used in folk medicine to relieve rheumatism and painful joints. Plants of the genus Podocarpus have been reported to exhibit a variety of biological activities ranging from plant-growth regulation to antibacterial and antiproliferative effects.