| Araucaria angustifolia | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Pinophyta |
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Pinales |
| Family: | Araucariaceae |
| Genus: | Araucaria |
| Species: | A. angustifolia |
| Binomial name | |
| Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze |
|
Araucaria angustifolia, the Paraná pine or Brazilian pine (Portuguese: pinheiro-do-paraná or pinheiro brasileiro), is a species in the conifer genus Araucaria. Covering an original area of 233000 km²,[2] it is native to southern Brazil (sometimes found in high-altitude areas of southern Minas Gerais, southern Rio de Janeiro and in the east and south of São Paulo, but more typically in the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul), according to a study made by the Brazilian researcher, Maack, the original area of occurrence represented 36,67% of the Paraná state (73088 km²), 60,13% of the Santa Catarina state (57332 km ), 21,6% of the São Paulo state (53613 km²) and 17,38% of the Rio Grande do Sul state (48968 km²);[3] it is found too, in the northeast of Argentina (Misiones and Corrientes) and locally in Paraguay (Alto Paraná), growing in low mountains at altitudes of 500–1800 meters.
It is an evergreen tree growing to 40 m tall and 1 m trunk diameter. The leaves are thick, tough and scale like, triangular, 3–6 cm long, 5–10 mm broad at the base, and with razor-sharp edges and tip. They persist 10 to 15 years, so cover most of the tree except for the trunk and older branches.
It is usually dioecious, with the male and female cones on separate trees. The male (pollen) cones are oblong, 60 cm long at first, expanding to 10–18 cm long by 15–25 mm broad at pollen release. Like all conifers it is wind pollinated. The female cones (seed), which mature in autumn about 18 months after pollination, are globose, large, 18–25 cm diameter, and hold about 100–150 seeds. The cones disintegrate at maturity to release the approximately 5 cm long nut-like seeds, which are then dispersed by animals, notably the Azure Jay, Cyanocorax caeruleus.
It is closely related to Araucaria araucana from further southwest in South America, differing most conspicuously in the narrower leaves.
It prefers well drained, slightly acidic soil but will tolerate almost any soil type provided drainage is good. It requires a subtropical climate with abundant rainfall, tolerating occasional frosts down to about −5 °C to -20°C . It is a popular garden tree in subtropical areas, planted for its unusual effect of the thick, 'reptilian' branches with a very symmetrical appearance.
The seeds, similar to large pine nuts, are edible, and are extensively harvested in southern Brazil (Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul States), a habit particularly important for the region's small population of Native Americans. The seeds, called pinhão [piˈɲɐ̃w̃] are popular as a winter snack. The city of Lages, in Santa Catarina state, holds a popular pinhão fair, in which hot wine and boiled araucaria seeds are consumed. In Brazil, 3,400 tonnes of seeds are collected annually which, combined with extensive logging, seriously threatens the regeneration of the species. The seeds are very important for the native animals. Several mammals and birds eat pinhão, and it has an important ecological role in Ombrophilous Mixed Forests (a sub-type of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest). Although the common names in various languages refer to the species as a "pine", it is not a true pine.