Common Name:

General Information

Araucaria hunsteinii is an evergreen tree with a pyramidal crown that becomes open and flat-topped with age; it can grow up to 90 metres tall in high rainfall forest, though it is more likely to be arounf 30 - 50 metres tall in lower rainfall forest[]. The straight, cylindrical bole can be free of branches for 35 - 60 metres and up to 200cm in diameter[].
The wood was widely exploited in the past, severely reducing the population of this species. Plantations were established from 1948 onwards following the exploitation of the majority of the accessible stands and these are the main source of the wood at present. CITES regulations forbid the export of the wood, and so it is widely used in local sawmills, where it forms the basis of a major plywood industry[, , ].
While there has been significant historic exploitation for its timber and recent losses due to fires, the extent of this decline is uncertain although it is likely to be at least 30%. In most parts of its range, it has been reduced to scattered stands following heavy exploitation for its good-quality timber. It is also locally threatened by shifting agriculture and damage caused by feral pigs. Fire associated with shifting agriculture and periodic El Nino induced droughts is a particular threat: large stands in McAdam National Park were burnt in September 1997. The extent of its decline is uncertain as is the degree of regeneration in areas selectively logged. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Australasia - New Guinea

Habitat

Scattered stands mainly in Fagaceae forest, usually as an emergent, in both low rainfall and high rainfall forest; at elevations from 520 - 2,100 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Near Threatened
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	50.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Araucaria hunsteinii only occurs within a narrow band of 5 degrees of latitude, from the Jimmi River in the north of Papua New Guinea to Weigane River in the south, found at elevations from 520 - 2,100 metres, though mainly between 750 - 1,700 metres. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 800 - 4,000mm or more per annum[]. Plants can occasionally experience light frosts[].
Grows wild in soils that are neutral to acidic with a high clay content[].
Some specimens of this species have reached heights of 90 metres, and are reported to be the tallest trees in Malaysia[].

Edible Uses

No mention of edibility has been seen for this species, though many, if not all, of the species in this genus are likely to have edible seeds[]. The triangular seeds are up to 25mm long, contained in a cone 15 - 20cm long and 12cm wide[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

Much colourless resin is produced from the trunk[].

An attractive wood, yellowish-brown in colour with purplish streaks in the heartwood. A fine quality wood, it is firm, light in weight and easily worked. It is much used in the local saw-milling and plywood industries, and has been used for making aircraft frames[, , ].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe[]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 2 months at 15°c[]. The plants have a rather sparse root system and are best placed in their final positions as soon as possible.

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