Araucaria hunsteinii
| Araucaria hunsteinii | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 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.
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
- Conifer Specialist Group 1998. Araucaria hunsteinii. Downloaded on 10 July 2007.
- Howcroft, N. H. S. (1978). Data sheets on species undergoing genetic impoverishment: Araucaria hunsteinii. Forest Genetics Resources Information 8: 31-37.
- Russo, R. O., & Briscoe, C. B. (2002). Performance of Klinki (Araucaria hunsteinii K. Schuman) in the Humid Tropics of Costa Rica. Journal of Sustainable Forestry 14 (4): 13-18.