Podocarpus borneensis

de Laub. (1985)

Common names

Known as bisit on Sarawak (Kenya language), bubung (Iban language), and buloh on the Merurong Plateau (de Laubenfels 1988).

Taxonomic notes

Syn: Podocarpus polystachus R.Br. ex Endl. var. rigidus Wasscher 1941 (de Laubenfels 1988).

Description

"Small to medium-sized tree, (2-)5-12(-23) m tall, 2.5-21 cm diam. Foliage buds 4-10 mm long, the primary scales erect. Juvenile leaves linear, to 16 by 1.4 cm. Adult leaves linear to ovate, (2.5-)4-7.5(-9) cm by 8-13 mm, narrowing at the base to a 3-5 mm petiole, more or less acute but usually slightly rounded at the apex, thick, with abundant auxiliary sclereids, midrib above prominent, 1 mm wide and 0.3 mm high, often drying to a channel below, often crowded around the foliage bud. Pollen cones solitary or in threes, sessile or on a short peduncle. Seed-bearing structure on a 2 mm peduncle, receptacle red when mature. Seed with a small crest. ... As in P. deflexus the leaves are thicker than usual for the genus and the lower midrib dries to a channel. The abundant foliar sclereids is a character shared apparently with P. novae-caledoniae in this section" (de Laubenfels 1988).

Distribution and Ecology

Borneo (Malaysia, Indonesia), incl. Karimata Island. "Locally common or even dominant (Merurong Plateau) on mossy rocky ridges, or scattered in nearby forest, in high kerangas forest and on white, sandy soils, 700-2070 m, one collection from a swamp at 360 m" (de Laubenfels 1988). The IUCN reports that the population status is stable.

Remarkable Specimens

No data as of 2026-01-23.

Ethnobotany

No data as of 2026-01-23.

Observations

No data as of 2026-01-23.

Remarks

The epithet means "of Borneo".

Citations

de Laubenfels, David J. 1985. A taxonomic revision of the genus Podocarpus. Blumea 30:51-278.

See also

Gray, Netta E. 1958. A Taxonomic Revision of Podocarpus, XI. The South Pacific Species of Section Podocarpus, Subsection B. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 424-477. Available: Biodiversity Heritage Library, accessed 2023.01.08.

Wasscher. 1941. Blumea 4:460.