Podocarpus palawanensis
There are no recorded common names (Farjon 2010).
Type: Philippine, Palawan, Pagdanan Range, Ibangley, C.E. Ridsdale SMHI 1502 (holo L). This species was described on the basis of a single specimen and has never been seen again. Except for the very large pollen cones, is extremely similar to P. polystachyus; it may simply be an anomalous individual (Farjon 2010), since P. polystachyus is known from Palawan. On the other hand, the holotype bears a determinavit slip signed by de Laubenfels in 1986, stating that it is Podocarpus rumphii. Scanned images of the holotype and isotype are available on GBIF, accessed 2023.02.09.
Trees to 7 m tall. Bark stringy, fissured; inner bark orange-brown. Foliage buds 4-6 × 4-5 mm with triangular, erect or slightly spreading outer scales. Leaves on 5-7 mm petioles, linear-lanceolate, 105-185 × 8-11 mm, upper midrib acutely raised. Pollen cones axillary, sessile, solitary, 35-45 × 6.5-8 mm (de Laubenfels and Silba 1988 and collector's notes on holotype).
Philippines, Palawan (Pagdanan Range) in closed-canopy angiosperm-dominated tropical rain forest (Farjon 2010).
The IUCN reports that this species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild due to an extremely small geographic range that is suffering ongoing loss of habitat. Since it appears to have been only one tree and has not been seen again, it may well be extinct.
No data as of 2023.02.09.
There are no recorded uses (Farjon 2010).
See the holotype and isotype specimen notes.
The epithet refers to the type collection, on the island of Palawan.
de Laubenfels, D.J. and J. Silba. 1988. Phytologia 64:291. Available: Biodiversity Heritage Library, accessed 2023.02.09.
The species account at Threatened Conifers of the World.
Last Modified 2023-02-26
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