Podocarpus rubens
W New Guinea: bebi-è (Kapauko, in Wissel Lakes); ungpop (Hattam, in Arfak area); E New Guinea: bin (Ingembit village, W Distr.); kaip (Enga, Wabag area); nelil (Mt. Tangis, New Britain); sukou (Wapi, in Wigote area) (de Laubenfels 1988).
Type: Papua New Guinea, Western Highlands, Wahgi-Sepik Divide, J.S. Womersley & A.N. Millar NGF 6980 (holo L). Synonymy (Farjon 2010):
Farjon (2010) asserts that P. indonesiensis is just a shorter-leaved high altitude form found in Sulawesi, where it grows at 2500-3000 m elevation; in all other respects it is the same as P. rubens.
See also Podocarpus laminaris de Laub. (2015), syn. Podocarpus rubens de Laub. var. pabinamaensis Silba (2000); de Laubenfels once attributed this unique specimen to Podocarpus rubens.
Dioecious evergreen trees to 45 m tall and 80 cm dbh, usually with a single erect bole and spreading branches forming a rounded crown. Bark smooth, thin, pale brown, weathering to gray and exfoliating in long strips. Twigs round, glabrous. Foliage buds 2-4 mm long, the outer bud scales erect or slightly spreading, triangular or broad-lanceolate. Flushing leaves bright red. Leaves on juvenile plants with a 2-3 mm petiole, linear-lanceolate, sometimes slightly curved, 60-80 × 10-14 mm, tapered towards base, acuminate or apiculate. Leaves on mature trees similar except 30-60 × 5-8 mm, apex acute, margin revolute, midrib raised on both sides, usually narrower on upper (adaxial) side; mature leaves dark green above and pale green below. Pollen cones axillary in groups of 1-3, sessile with several basal bract scales, 20-35 × 2.5-3.5 mm when fertile. Seed cones axillary, solitary on a 4-9 mm peduncle, receptacle 6-8 mm long, yellow-green turning red or purple and succulent when ripe. Seed in epimatium red or purple when ripe, 8-9 × 5-6 mm (de Laubenfels 1988, Farjon 2010).
Leaves of P. pilgeri have a nearly flat (0.2 mm) upper midrib and are distinctly thin and delicate rather than coriaceus. P. pilgeri pollen cones are always solitary (de Laubenfels 1988).
Indonesia (Sulawesi, Maluku, Sumatera, Papua); Malaysia (Sabah); Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Archipelago); Timor-Leste. Found in montane and higher-elevation primary rainforest, primarily at 800-1500 m elevation but with some collections as high as 3000 m in Sulawesi. Locally common to dominant as a small tree in cloud forest on high mountain ridges, often with Nothofagus spp. Mostly on latosols, in New Guinea in mossy forest, rarely in swampy forest on peaty soils with Dacrydium (de Laubenfels 1988, Farjon 2010). Based on data from 13 collection localities, its climate preferences include a mean annual temperature of 20°C, with an average minimum in the coldest month of 15°C, and a mean annual precipitation of 2930 mm (Biffin et al. 2011, Table S5).
The IUCN assigns this species a conservation status of "Least Concern" mainly due to its widespread distribution; also, the high altitude sites are not threatened by exploitation.
No data as of 2023.01.20.
Locally exploited for its timber, a pale brown, lightweight wood used for construction, boatbuilding, finish carpentry, furniture and utensils. It is not in cultivation, though (Farjon 2010).
With regard it its use in dendrochronology see Podocarpus neriifolius.
No suitable locations reported as of 2023.01.20.
The epithet means "red" and refers to the flushing leaves.
Laubenfels, David J. de. 2015. New sections and species of Podocarpus based on the taxonomic status of P. neriifolius (Podocarpaceae) in tropical Asia. Novon 24(2):133-152. https://doi.org/10.3417/2012091.
Laubenfels, D.J. de and J. Silba. 1988. Notes on Asian-Pacific Podocarpaceae, I (Podocarpus). Phytologia 64:292. Available: Biodiversity Heritage Library, accessed 2023.01.07.
Silba, John. 2000. J. Int. Conif. Preser. Soc. 7(1):37.
Whiting, M., R. R. Mill, and C. E. Jeffree. 2017. The stomatal complex of Podocarpus observed in cross-section using cryofracture: a preliminary study. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 74(3):345-364.
Last Modified 2023-02-26
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