Herbarium scan of the type, specimen L.1191372 [Naturalis Biodiversity Center, accessed 2023.01.21].
Herbarium scan of the type, specimen L.1191372 [Naturalis Biodiversity Center, accessed 2023.01.21].
Podocarpus laminaris
None are known.
This taxon is known only from a single collection: Papua New Guinea, Milne Bay, Normanby Island, Mount Pabinama, mossy forest at 850 m elevation, 1956.05.05, L.J. Brass 25737 (holo L, iso A, LAE). It was collected during the Fifth Archbold Expedition to New Guinea. No other specimen has ever been found, but here is the specimen data and scanned image at L (accessed 2023.01.21). The herbarium sheet shows that it was a sterile specimen of a common understory tree (thus it likely bears shade foliage) and was identified by de Laubenfels in 1989 as Podocarpus rubens. Silba (2000) described it as Podocarpus rubens de Laub. var. pabinamaensis Silba. De Laubenfels (2015) asserts that it "is distinguished by foliage buds 3 × 2-3 mm; leaves oblong with rounded apices, 5-6 × 0.9-1 cm; upper leaf midribs weakly raised, 0.5 mm wide." The foliage buds are within the size range for typical Podocarpus rubens; moreover the significance of bud size is debatable for a plant bearing shade foliage. The leaves do not uniformly bear rounded apices, many being subacute or even slightly mucronate. Overall, the specimen is within the range of natural variability for P. rubens, a widespread species that could occur in this location. However, P. pilgeri is another possibility. Resolution of this puzzle may well require another visit to Normanby Island.
See Podocarpus neriifolius for taxonomic notes on the 17 species in the P. neriifolius complex.
"Small understory trees ca. 10 m tall. Foliage buds 3 × 2-3 mm with erect, triangular scales 3 mm; leaves crowded, thick, oblong with rounded apices, 5-6 × 0.9-1 cm, slightly revolute with weakly raised upper leaf midribs 0.5 mm wide. Fertile structures unknown" (de Laubenfels 2015).
Papua New Guinea, known only from the understory of rainforest at 800 m elevation on Mount Pabinama on Normanby Island, where common.
No data as of 2023.01.21.
No recorded uses as of 2023.01.21.
See the type location.
The origin of the epithet is unclear; laminaris means simply "leaf" thus this is "the podocarp with leaves", about as generic a description as you could look for.
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.
Silba, John. 2000. J. Int. Conif. Preser. Soc. 7(1):37.
Last Modified 2023-04-09
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