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The Japanese yew (Podocarpus macrophyllus) belongs to the family Podocarpaceae. It is a tall evergreen tree that is distributed from Kanto region of Honshu westward to Shikoku, Kyushu in Japan, as well as Taiwan, and China. It grows in mountainous areas near the coast and grows to a height of about 20 m. The leaves are broadly linear and alternate. It is dioecious, and flowers bloom in the leaf axils from May to June. The fruits ripen to reddish purple from October to December and can be eaten. In Japan, the word "maki" usually refers to this species. It is called "大葉羅漢松" in Taiwanese and "羅漢松" (luo han song) in Chinese.
In Korean, it's called "na-han-song" (나한송). This is a phonetic translation of the Chinese name "羅漢松". Although it is an introduced species in South Korea, it is used as an ornamental tree and for hedges.
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