Podocarpus gibbsiae

N.E.Gray 1958

Common names

Taxonomic notes

Type: Malaysia, Sabah, Mount Kinabalu, Marai Parai, 1933, J. & M.S. Clemens 32021 (holo A, iso BM, NY) (de Laubenfels 2015).

Description

"Tree 2.5-20 m tall. Foliage buds 4-9 mm long. Juvenile leaves linear, acute, 4-9 cm by 5-9 mm. Adult leaves linear to ovate, 2-5 cm by 4-7 mm, acute to almost rounded at the apex, narrowed at the base to a 1-3 mm petiole; midrib above weakly developed, 0.5-0.7 mm wide and 0.1-0.2mm high and often collapsing upon drying leaving a weak depression w'ith a narrow ridge in the centre, upper hypoderm continuous. Pollen cones 1-1.5 cm, sessile, solitary or occasionally a pair; apex of microsporophyll triangular, up to 0.8 mm long. Seed-bearing structure on a peduncle at least 3 mm long; foliola 4 mm long; receptacle formed of two unequal bracts; mature seed unknown... The leaves generally resemble those of P. pilgeri, a species which is not otherwise similar at all" (de Laubenfels 1988).

Distribution and Ecology

Malaysia: Sabah: Endemic to Mt. Kinabalu at 1200-2400 m elevation. Typically on moss forest ridges, mostly or always on ultramafic soils (de Laubenfels 1988).

The IUCN reports that this species is "vulnerable" to extinction in the wild because the population is already very small and restricted in distribution, and could be devastated by a chance occurrence that could be caused by human action.

Remarkable Specimens

No data as of 2023.01.19.

Ethnobotany

Observations

Remarks

The epithet honors Dr. Lilian Suzette Gibbs (1870-1925), a botanist with the British Museum who intensively studied mountain floras worldwide, and was the first known woman to ascend Mt. Kinabalu, where she collected the type specimen. Dacrydium gibbsiae is also named for her.

Citations

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.

Gray, Netta E. 1958. A Taxonomic Revision of Podocarpus, XI. The South Pacific Species of Section Podocarpus, Subsection B. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 39:429. Available: Biodiversity Heritage Library, accessed 2023.01.08.

See also

The species account at Threatened Conifers of the World.

Gaussen (1976), p. 173.