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Araucaria hunsteinii

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Araucaria hunsteinii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnospermae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Araucariales
Family: Araucariaceae
Genus: Araucaria
Section: A. sect. Intermedia
Species:
A. hunsteinii
Binomial name
Araucaria hunsteinii

Araucaria hunsteinii (Klinki , Klinkii or "Klinky", native names Rassu and Pai[citation needed]) 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 metres (164–262 ft) tall, exceptionally to 90 metres (295 ft), with a trunk up to 3 metres (10 ft) diameter. The branches are horizontal, produced in whorls of five or six. The leaves are spirally arranged, scale-like or awl-like, 6–12 centimetres (2–5 in) long and 1.5–2 centimetres (5834 in) broad at the base, with a sharp tip; leaves on young trees are shorter (under 9 centimetres (4 in)) and narrower (under 1.5 centimetres (58 in)). It is usually monoecious with male and female cones on the same tree; the pollen cones are long and slender, up to 20 centimetres (8 in) long and 1 centimetre (38 in) broad; the seed cones are oval, up to 25 centimetres (10 in) long and 14–16 centimetres (5+126+14 in) broad. The seed cones disintegrate at maturity to release the numerous 3–4 centimetres (1–1+12 in) long nut-like seeds.

Cultivation and uses

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

Pests

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Barinae spp.,[Gray 1] Setomorpha rutella,[Gray 2] Microlepidopteras,[Gres. 1] Cacatua galerita (the Sulphur-crested cockatoo) are pests of pine nut production in A. hunsteinii. C. galerita may cause half of the seed crop to be lost in a year, mostly by trying to eat cones that are not yet ready.[Gres. 2] However, another source describes A. hunsteinii as suffering few pests in plantations, and therefore substituting A. cunninghamii in plantations that suffer more from pests.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Thomas, P. (2013). "Araucaria hunsteinii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T32836A2825399. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T32836A2825399.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. ^ Wylie, F. R. (1982). "Insect problems of Araucaria plantations in Papua New Guinea and Australia". Australian Forestry. 45 (2). Taylor & Francis (Informa UK Limited): 125–131. Bibcode:1982AuFor..45..125W. doi:10.1080/00049158.1982.10674343. ISSN 0004-9158.
  1. ^
    Curculionidae
    9. Barinae sp.
    COLLECTIONS: In seed cone of Araucaria hunsteinii, Bulolo, M. D., 29.VIII.1967 (J. Thompson).
    DISTRIBUTION AND BIOLOGY : The weevil honeycombs extensively the cones of A. hunsteinii seeds in the virgin forest (Havel 1962). Up to 30-40% of the seed may be damaged ; the damage varies considerably from area to area in the Wau-Bulolo area (J. Thompson, pers. comm., 1967).
  2. ^
    Tineidae
    51. Setomorpha rutella Zeller
    COLLECTIONS: In seed of Araucaria hunsteinii, Bulolo, M. D., VI.1964 (J.L.R. Godlee).
    DISTRIBUTION AND BIOLOGY : G. S. Dun reared adults from the seed collected by Mr Godlee. The larvae cause considerable damage to the seed.
  1. ^ p. 391, 4.5. Insect pests of Araucaria species in New Guinea
    A number of as yet unidentified members of the Microlepidoptera also cause much wastage in cones of A. cunninghamii and A. hunsteinii."
  2. ^ p. 391, 4.6. Other predators
    ...
    The foraging activity of birds such as the Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) may lead to destruction of half or more of annual cone crops. Department of Forests (PNG) records suggest that over 50% of the A. hunsteinii cone crop in the Susu Mountain area, Bulolo was destroyed by cockatoos in successive years (1966 and 1967). Cacatua galerita is a notoriously wasteful eater and most seed is lost through the premature fall of green cones which are left to rot on the forest floor."
  • 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.