Araucaria

Araucaria
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Pinophyta Class: Pinopsida Order: Pinales Family: Araucariaceae Genus: Araucaria
Species
19: see text

Araucaria is familiar to many people as the genus of the distinctive conifer the Monkey-puzzle, A. araucana. The genus is named after the Arauco Indianss of central Chile whose territory incorporates natural stands of this species, where it is known as the Pehuén.

The genus has a highly disjunct distribution in Argentina, Chile, southern Brazil, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Australia, and New Guinea, with many if not all current populations being relict and restricted. Fossil records show that it also formerly existed in the northern hemisphere.

There are about 19 species in this small genus, some of which are relatively common in cultivation because of their distinctive, regimented growth habit.

Full species list for Araucaria:

There are two sections in the genus, sometimes treated as separate genera:

• Section Araucaria. Leaves broad; cones more than 12cm diameter; seed germination hypogeal.
  • A. angustifolia
  • A. araucana (Monkey-puzzle or Pehuén)
  • A. bidwillii (Bunya-bunya)
  • A. hunsteinii
• Section Eutacta. Leaves narrow, awl-like; cones less than 12cm diameter; seed germination epigeal.
  • A. bernieri
  • A. biramulata
  • A. columnaris
  • A. cunninghamii
  • A. heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine)
  • A. humboldtensis
  • A. laubenfelsii
  • A. luxurians
  • A. montana
  • A. muelleri
  • A. nemorosa
  • A. rulei
  • A. schmidii
  • A. scopulorum
  • A. subulata

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Araucaria is the pseudonym used by the cryptic crossword compiler John Graham (compiler).