Araucaria

Pinophyta: Conifers
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Pinophyta Class: Pinopsida Order: Pinales Family: Araucariaceae Genus: Araucaria

Araucaria is familiar to many people as the genus of the distinctive coniferous Monkey Puzzle (or Monkeypuzzle) tree. It is named after the Arauco Indians of central Chile whose territory incorporates natural stands of the tree.

The genus has a highly disjunct distribution including such diverse regions as Argentina, Chile, southern Brazil, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Australia, and New Guinea. It appears from fossil records to have formerly existed also in the northern hemisphere with many if not all current populations being relic and restricted.

There are several of this small genus of about 19 species that are relatively common in cultivation because of their distinctive, regimented growth habit. They include the Norfolk Island Pine (A. heterophylla), Chile Pine or Monkeypuzzle Tree (A. araucana) and Bunya Pine (A. bidwillii).

Full species list for Araucaria:

• A. angustifolia
• A. araucana
• A. bernieri
• A. bidwillii
• A. biramulata
• A. columnaris
• A. cunninghamii
• A. heterophylla
• A. humboldtensis
• A. hunsteinii
• A. laubenfelsii
• A. luxurians
• A. montana
• A. muelleri
• A. nemorosa
• A. rulei
• A. schmidii
• A. scopulorum
• A. subulata

---

Araucaria is the pseudonym used by the cryptic crossword compiler John Graham.