Podocarpus salomoniensis
Dengali tolo [Malaita] (Farjon 2010), graoragota [Cheke Holo] (Mill and Whiting 2012).
Type: Solomon Islands, San Cristobal, L.J. Brass 2881 (iso A, BM, L). No synonyms. The species is not very well known, with only 30 occurrences from within habitat recorded on GBIF (accessed 2023.02.09), spanning the period 1932 to 2017. Molecular taxonomy has not been used to study this species. Based on patterns within Podocarpus as a whole, we would expect it to be most closely related to the geographically proximal Pacific Islands species, e.g. those of Fiji and Vanuatu, which also resemble it in morphology.
Trees to 20 m tall and 35 cm dbh, typically with a straight bole and spreading, sinuous branches forming a diffuse, conical crown. Bark pale yellowish brown, first smooth, later flaking and peeling in thin, curling strips; inner bark weakly fibrous. Twigs round, stout, grooved. Foliage buds conical with subulate-acuminate scales up to 11 mm long with spreading or curved tips. Leaves clumped distally on twigs, thick coriaceous, lustrous green above, matte green below, tapering to a petiolate base, linear-lanceolate, straight or slightly falcate, 100-250 × 7-12 mm (up to 20 mm wide on saplings); midrib prominent on both sides of leaf, extending to apex, adaxially acute, abaxially obtuse; apex acute or obtuse. Pollen cones unknown. Seed cones axillary, on slender 10-15 mm peduncles, receptacles subtended by 2 foliola up to 4 mm long, succulent red when ripe, 8-10 mm long and wide, ca. 5 mm thick, bearing 1-2 seeds. Seed within epimatium subelliptical, 11 × 8 mm, smooth and glaucous green (Farjon 2010).
Solomon Islands: Choiseul Island, San Cristobal Island and San Jorge Island, at elevations of 10-900 m, in tropical rainforest or swamp forest; in the latter, on ultramafic soils with codominant Casuarina sp. It has also been reported from the North Solomons, which are in Papua New Guinea, but this is not confirmed (Farjon 2010, Thomas 2013).
The IUCN has assigned this species a conservation status of "Near Threatened" based on a limited area of occurrence (that is not quantified) in an area subject to habitat loss through agricultural clearance, logging, and mining; but the magnitude of that impact is not well understood. It is not known to occur in any protected areas and is not a protected species. The species is very close to qualifying as "Vulnerable" (Thomas 2013).
No data as of 2023.02.09.
The tree is sometimes large enough to be useful for timber production, and produces a soft, light wood suitable for construction, finish carpentry, and the manufacture of oars. It is not known to be cultivated (Farjon 2010).
No data as of 2023.02.09.
The epithet refers to the Solomon Islands, where this species is thought to be endemic.
Mill, R. R., and M. Whiting. 2012. Podocarpus orarius (Podocarpaceae), a new species from the Solomon Islands and a taxonomic clarification of Podocarpus spathoides from Malaysia. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 64(1):171–193.
Thomas, P. 2013. Podocarpus salomoniensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T34098A2845535. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T34098A2845535.en, accessed 2023.02.09.
Wasscher, J. 1941. The genus Podocarpus in the Netherlands Indies. Blumea 4: 359-480 (p. 430).
Gray, Netta E. 1958. A Taxonomic Revision of Podocarpus, XI. The South Pacific Species of Section Podocarpus, Subsection B. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 39:449. Available: Biodiversity Heritage Library, accessed 2023.01.08.
Last Modified 2023-02-26
Back to top