Araucaria

Taxonomy

The genus is named after the Spanish exonym Araucano ("from Arauco") applied to the Mapuche of south-central Chile and south-west Argentina, whose territory incorporates natural stands of a species in this genus identified as A. araucana; the Mapuche people call it pewen, and consider it sacred. Some Mapuche living in the Andes name themselves Pewenche ("people of the pewen") as they traditionally harvested the seeds extensively for food.

There are four extant sections and two extinct sections in the genus, sometimes treated as separate genera.

Extant species

Genetic studies

Genetic studies indicate that the extant members of the genus can be subdivided into two large clades – the first consisting of the sections Araucaria, Bunya, and Intermedia; and the second of the strongly monophyletic section Eutacta. Sections Eutacta and Bunya are both the oldest taxa of the genus, with Eutacta possibly older.

Taxa marked with † are extinct.

• Section Araucaria. Wilde and Eames, 1952 Leaves broad; cones more than 12 cm (4.7 in) diameter; seed germination hypogeal. Syn. sect. Columbea; sometimes includes Intermedia and Bunya
  • Araucaria angustifolia – Paraná pine (obsolete: Brazilian pine, candelabra tree); southern and southeastern Brazil, northeastern Argentina.
  • Araucaria araucana – monkey-puzzle or pehuén (obsolete: Chile pine); central Chile & western Argentina.
  • †Araucaria nipponensis – Japan and Sakhalin (Upper Cretaceous)
• Section Bunya. Wilde and Eames, 1952 Contains only one living species. Produces recalcitrant seeds with hypogeal (cryptocotylar) germination, though extinct species may have exhibited epigeal germination.
  • Araucaria bidwillii – bunya-bunya; Eastern Australia
• Section Intermedia. White, 1947 Contains only one living species. Produces recalcitrant seeds
  • Araucaria hunsteinii – klinki; New Guinea
  • †Araucaria haastii – New Zealand (Cretaceous)
• Section Eutacta. Endl. 1847 Leaves narrow, awl-like; cones less than 12 cm (4.7 in) diameter; seed germination epigeal
  • Araucaria bernieri – New Caledonia
  • Araucaria biramulata – New Caledonia
  • Araucaria columnaris – Cook pine; New Caledonia
  • Araucaria cunninghamii – Moreton Bay pine, hoop pine; Eastern Australia, New Guinea
  • Araucaria goroensis – New Caledonia
  • Araucaria heterophylla – Norfolk Island pine; Norfolk Island
  • Araucaria humboldtensis – New Caledonia
  • Araucaria laubenfelsii – New Caledonia
  • Araucaria luxurians – New Caledonia
  • Araucaria montana – New Caledonia
  • Araucaria muelleri – New Caledonia
  • Araucaria nemorosa – New Caledonia
  • Araucaria rulei – New Caledonia
  • Araucaria schmidii – New Caledonia
  • Araucaria scopulorum – New Caledonia
  • Araucaria subulata – New Caledonia
  • †Araucaria lignitici – (Paleogene) Yallourn, Victoria, Australia
  • †Araucaria famii – (Late Cretaceous) Vancouver Island, Canada.
• †Section Yezonia. Extinct. Contains only one species
  • †Araucaria vulgaris – Japan (Late Cretaceous)
• †Section Perpendicula. Extinct. Contains only one species
  • †Araucaria desmondii – New Zealand (Late Cretaceous)
• incertae sedis
  • †Araucaria antarctica – Snow Hill Island Formation, Antarctica (Late Cretaceous)
  • †Araucaria beipiaoensis – Tiaojishan Formation, China (Middle Jurassic)
  • †Araucaria delevoryasii – Morrison Formation, USA (Late Jurassic)
  • †Araucaria fibrosa – López de Bertodano Formation, Antarctica (Late Cretaceous)
  • †Araucaria marensii – La Meseta Formation, Antarctica & Santa Cruz Formation, Argentina
  • †Araucaria nihongii – Upper Yezo Group, Japan (Late Cretaceous)
  • †Araucaria taieriensis - New Zealand (Late Cretaceous)
  • †Araucaria brownii – England (Middle Jurassic)
  • †Araucaria mirabilis – Patagonia (Middle Jurassic)
  • †Araucaria sphaerocarpa – England (Middle Jurassic)
  • †Araucaria grandifolia – Argentina (Early Cretaceous)
  • †Araucaria jeffreyi – Eastern United States (Late Cretaceous)
  • †Araucaria benignae – Crato Formation, Brazil (Early Cretaceous (Aptian))

Araucaria bindrabunensis (previously classified under section Bunya) has been transferred to the genus Araucarites.

Distribution and paleoecology

Members of Araucaria are found in Argentina, Brazil, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Australia, New Guinea, Chile and Papua (Indonesia). Many if not all current populations are relicts, and of restricted distribution. They are found in forest and maquis shrubland, with an affinity for exposed sites. The earliest records of the genus date to the Middle Jurassic, represented by Araucaria mirabilis of Argentina, and Araucaria sphaerocarpa from England. Fossil records show that the genus also formerly occurred in the northern hemisphere until the end of the Cretaceous period. A possible species of Araucaria may have existed in New Zealand as recently as 350,000 years ago. However, it is also possible that this fossil actually represents a specimen of Agathis.

By far the greatest diversity exists in New Caledonia, likely due to a relatively recent adaptive radiation, as all New Caledonian species are more closely related to each other than they are to other Araucaria. Much of New Caledonia is composed of ultramafic rock with serpentine soils, with low levels of nutrients, but high levels of metals such as nickel. Consequently, its endemic Araucaria species are adapted to these conditions, and many species have been severely affected by nickel mining in New Caledonia and are now considered threatened or endangered, due to their habitat lying in prime areas for nickel mining activities.

Some evidence suggests that the long necks of sauropod dinosaurs may have evolved specifically to browse the foliage of tall trees, including those of Araucaria. An analysis of modern Araucaria leaves found that they have a high energy content but are slow fermenting, making their ancestors a likely attractive target. However, a diet consisting solely of Araucaria may not have provided dinosaurs with sufficient protein and was therefore unlikely.

Uses

Some of the species are relatively common in cultivation because of their distinctive, formal symmetrical growth habit. Several species are economically important for timber production.

In addition to timber, they are grown for ornamental purposes. Several species are considered threatened/endangered.

Food

The edible large seeds of A. araucana, A. angustifolia and A. bidwillii — also known as Araucaria nuts, and often called, although improperly, pine nuts — are eaten as food, particularly among the Mapuche people of Chile and southwest Argentina, the Kaingang people in Southern Brazil and among Indigenous Australians. In South America, Araucaria nuts or seeds are called piñas or piñones in Spanish and pinhões in Portuguese, like pine nuts in Europe.

Pharmacological activity

Pharmacological reports on the genus Araucaria are anti-ulcer, antiviral, neuro-protective, anti-depressant and anti-coagulant.