Podocarpus acuminatus
Type: Brazil: Amazonas, Sierra de Neblina, Farney 870 (holotype, MO) (de Laubenfels 1992).
"Small trees 4-5 m tall. Leaves linear to ovate, ca. 3-4 cm long × 8 mm wide, acuminate, slightly revolute; juvenile leaves to 10 cm × 13 mm. Foliage buds globular; bud scales erect, cuspidate, 4-6 mm long. Fleshy covering of the seed with a prominent apical crest 1 mm long; receptacle with at least 3 bracts: with one seed a third, smaller bract occurs below the usual sterile bract, with two seeds one or more smaller bracts occur between the two fertile bracts. Pollen structures unknown.
"Acuminate leaves are uncommon in Podocarpus, and there are no examples among closely related species, all of which occur in South America, with acuminate leaves anywhere near the size of those of P. acuminatus. Among other Venezuelan species of Podocarpus (see de Laubenfels, 1982), P. acuminatus is the only closely related one with acuminate leaves, and it is noted for its large leaves more than 18 mm wide. Similar-sized leaves occur in P. buchholzii and P. brasiliensis, where the acute to blunt leaves show no signs of an acuminate apex (de Laubenfels, 1982). The extra sterile bracts on the fertile structures are unusual and have not previously been observed on any South American species. The prominent crest helps to differentiate P. acuminatus from the other South American species with similar-sized leaves. Short, erect, cuspidate bud scales are also distinctive" (de Laubenfels 1992).
Brazil: Amazonas (Serra da Neblina); Venezuela: Amazonas (the Sierra de Neblina) and Bolivar (Chimantá, SW Amurítepui) (Farjon 1998). " Grows as an exposed tree in cloud forests and among rocks, at 1,900-2,400 m" (de Laubenfels 1992). The IUCN reports that the population status is stable.
de Laubenfels, David J. 1992. Podocarpus acuminatus (Podocarpaceae), a new species from South America. Novon 2: 329.
Last Modified 2023-02-26
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