Podocarpus insularis

de Laub. (1985)

Common names

East New Guinea: dala, tunum [Daga, in Milne Bay]; ida-ayebo [Kutubu] (de Laubenfels 1988).

Taxonomic notes

Type: Papua New Guinea, Sudest Island, Mt. Riu, NE slopes, occasional in rain forest of ridges, elev. 300 m, sterile tree 15-18 m tall, 1956.09.03, L. J. Brass 27987 (holotype A00022554).

Description

"Small to medium-sized tree, 3–39 m tall, up to 20–60 cm diam., bole up to 24 m. Foliage buds 2.5–3 mm long and up to 3.5 mm diam., the primary budscales strongly spreading. Juvenile leaves linear, to 15 by 1.4 cm. Adult leaves elliptic, 5.5–9 cm by 7–9 mm, apex acute, narrowed at the base to a 3–4 mm petiole; midrib above 0.3 mm high with vertical sides, 0.3 mm wide. Pollen cones solitary or in threes, sessile or with a short peduncle. Receptacle red when mature...

"This species is distinguished by its rather small and narrow elliptic leaves with narrow but prominent midrib with nearly vertical slides and by the robust compact foliage buds with outward curling scales. Dried specimens sometimes develop a rich red-brown colour on the underside" (de Laubenfels 1988).

Distribution and Ecology

Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Archipelago); Solomon Islands; Vanuatu. "A good-sized lesser canopy tree, scattered and locally common in wet rain-forest, also in Nothofagus forest with undergrowth of Nastus, from near sea-level to 1680 m, and smaller trees from low ridge habitats" (de Laubenfels 1988).

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

No data as of 2026-01-23.

Citations

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

See also