Podocarpus lawrencei description

Branch (ANU Forestry website).

Foliage (ANU Forestry website).

Ovulate cone (ANBG [no date]).

Staminate cones (ANBG [no date]).

Plant in habitat (ANBG [no date]).

Podocarpus lawrencei Hook. 1845

Common Names

Alpine plum pine (ANU Forestry website), mountain plum pine (Harden 1990).

Taxonomic notes

Syn: P. alpinus R. Br. ex Mirbel (Harden 1990); P. acutifolius (Silba 1986). Basionym for Podocarpus alpinus var. lawrencei (J.D.Hook.) J.D.Hook.

Description

"Much-branched decumbent or erect shrub 50-100 cm high, rarely a small tree in sheltered positions. Leaves crowded, obscurely 2-ranked, linear to oblong or narrow-obovate, mostly 5-15 mm long, 2-4 mm wide. Male cones axillary, cylindrical, 5-10 mm long, solitary or in groups. Female cones axillary. Receptacle of 2 fused fleshy scales, 3-5 mm long, expanding to 6 mm long at maturity and turning bright red, fleshy; seed ovoid, 3-5 mm long, green" (Harden 1990).

Range

Australia: Tas., Vic., & NSW; "[o]ften found spreading and creeping extensively over rock outcrops; common at high altitudes in the Southern Alps" (Silba 1986). Typically in subalpine to alpine vegetation at an elevation of 1000-1800 m (ANBG [no date]).

Big Tree

Oldest

Ages up to 460 years are cited without supporting evidence (ANBG [no date]).

Dendrochronology

Ethnobotany

Observations

Remarks

"The species name lawrencei commemorates Robert William Lawrence (1807-1833), a botanical collector" (ANBG [no date]).