Araucaria hunsteinii

Araucaria hunsteinii
Conservation status

Near Threatened  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Araucariaceae
Genus: Araucaria
Species: A. hunsteinii
Binomial name
Araucaria hunsteinii
K.Schum.

Araucaria hunsteinii (Klinki or Klinkii) is a species of Araucaria native to the mountains of Papua New Guinea. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Araucaria hunsteinii mature leaf detail.
Araucaria hunsteinii mature trunk detail.

It is a very large evergreen tree (the tallest in New Guinea, and the tallest species in its family), growing to 50–80 m tall, exceptionally to 90 m, with a trunk up to 3 m diameter. The branches are horizontal, produced in whorls of five or six. The leaves are spirally arranged, scale-like or awl-like, 6-12 cm long and 1.5-2 cm broad at the base, with a sharp tip; leaves on young trees are shorter (under 9 cm) and narrower (under 1.5 cm). It is usually monoecious with male and female cones on the same tree; the pollen cones are long and slender, up to 20 cm long and 1 cm broad; the seed cones are oval, up to 25 cm long and 14-16 cm broad. The seed cones disintegrate at maturity to release the numerous 3-4 cm long nut-like seeds.

Cultivation and uses

It is a fast-growing tree, and is being tested as a potentially important timber crop in tropical highland climates.

References