Podocarpus ramosii

R.R.Mill (2006)

Common names

No data as of 2026-01-23.

Taxonomic notes

Type: Philippines, Luzon, Laguna Province, Tayabas, Mt. Banáhao, Jan. 1913, M. Ramos 19581 (holotype US; isotypes BM, K, L). Syn.: Podocarpus rotundus de Laubenfels, nom. illeg. (previously used for a fossil species) (Mill 2006).

Description

Evergreen trees to 15 m tall and 20 cm dbh. Foliage buds 2.4-3 × 1.6-2 mm with slightly spreading scales. Juvenile and shade leaves linear, 50-80 × 8-13 mm; adult sun leaves oval to elliptic, 10-67 × 5-11 mm; petiole 1-3 mm, apex rounded; upper midrib 0.2-0.3 mm wide and high, lower midrib indistinct. Pollen cone 25-35 × 3 mm with sterile basal scales 1-3 mm long, micro-sporophyll apex triangular. Seed cone on a 4-11 mm peduncle, receptacle 5-7 mm long and red when ripe. Seed globose, within epimatium 7-8 × 5.5-6 mm, not crested (de Laubenfels 1988, Salvaña et al. 2018).

Distribution and Ecology

Indonesia: East Borneo (Mt Beratus near Balikpapan) and Philippines (Luzon: Mt Banajao in Laguna Prov. and Lucban in Tayabas Prov.). It has been found in dwarf mossy forest, on Mt Beratus at about 1000 m elevation, and in Luzon at up to 2200 m (de Laubenfels 1988).

The IUCN classifies this species as "Data Deficient". A few collections have been made since it was initially described, and it is now known from two protected areas in the Philippines (Mt Isarog National Park and Bicol National Park, both in Camarines Province; Salvaña et al. 2018), but still virtually nothing is known about its habitat or distribution.

Remarkable Specimens

No data as of 2026-01-23.

Ethnobotany

No uses have been reported, but like most Podocarpus of tree size, it likely has a workable, attractive wood and thus is likely subject to some exploitation where it occurs near populated areas.

Observations

Recent collections have been made in Mt Isarog National Park and Bicol National Park, both in Camarines Province, Philippines (Salvaña et al. 2018).

Remarks

The epithet honors botanist Maximo Ramos (d. 1932), who made extensive collections in the Philippines, including that of the type specimen (Mill 2006).

Citations

de Laubenfels, David J. 1978. The taxonomy of the Philippine Coniferae and Taxaceae. Kalikasan 7:127-152.

Mill, R. R. 2006. A new name for Podocarpus rotundus de Laub. Edinburgh J. Bot. 63:81. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0960428606000424.

Salvaña, Florence Roy P., Willian Sm Gruezo, and Annalee S. Hadsall. 2018. Recent taxonomic notes and new distribution localities of Podocarpus Pers. species in the Philippines. Sibbaldia: The International Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture 16:99-120.

See also

Plants of the World online.