Podocarpus rubens

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Podocarpus rubens

Description

Tree 2-30 m tall, 4-36 cm diam.

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Lesser Sunda Is. present; New Guinea present; Sulawesi (Sulawesi present), Central to S. Sumatra present, G. Bonthain present, G. Mutis present, Latimodjong & Kambuno Mts present, New Britain present, Normanby present, Timor present
Malesia: Central to S. Sumatra, Celebes (Central: Latimodjong & Kambuno Mts; SW: G. Bonthain), Lesser Sunda Islands (Timor: G. Mutis), and New Guinea (incl. Normanby&New Britain). .

Notes

The bright red colour of a new flush of leaves which has been seen in this species can make the trees quite conspicuous. Herbarium specimens can resemble P. pilgeri but the upper midrib of the leaf rises c. 0.3 mm with vertical sides, while that of P. pilgeri is hardly 0.2 mm high with sloping sides. Leaves of P. pilgeri which approach P. rubens in size are from shady situations and are distinctly thin and delicate while those whose texture resembles the coarse rigid leaves of P. rubens are no more than 4-6 mm wide. The always solitary pollen cone of P. pilgeri is distinctly more slender and the ripe receptacle is red. Unique in the section is that most specimens of P. rubens have some leaves with a narrow-acuminate or more or less apiculate apex.
The specimens of P. rubens from Ambon have a continuous upper hypoderm while elsewhere there are only scattered upper hypoderm cells and vascular sclereids.
Specimens assigned to P. rubens from Normanby I. and New Britain have quite blunt leaves with a less prominent midrib. In all other ways they conform to the species but it is possible that they represent a different taxon.
The specimen ICHLAS 166 from a high elevation in Sumatra seems too long and narrow to be placed comfortably here, even though more typical specimens exist nearby at lower elevation. The foliage bud is rather robust and the lateral resin canals are quite large. It resembles P. brevifolius and P. crassigem-mis and could represent a new allied species.