Araucaria muelleri

Araucaria muelleri

Araucaria muelleri is a plant of the genus Araucaria (Araucaria ). It is a critically endangered endemic species belonging to New Caledonia island of Grande Terre.

Description

Araucaria muelleri grows as evergreen tree that can reach heights of growth 10 to 25 meters. The shape of the crown resembles a chandelier. The gray bark peels off in thin strips and flakes. The branches reach diameter of 3 to 5 centimeters.

In young specimens the leaves are scale-like and have a pointed tip. They are triangular in shape, with a length of 2 to 2.5 cm. On older trees are like roof tiles overlapping, scale-like leaves with a length of 3 to 3.5 inches and a width of 1.5 to 2 cm triangular with a pronounced midrib. The incurved tip is pointed.

The male cones are cylindrically shaped with a length of 13-25 cm and a diameter from 2.8 to 3.7 centimeters. They contain top Mikrosporophylle with 20 pollen sacs. The female pins have a length of 11 to 15 centimeters and a diameter of 8 to 10 inches. The triangular with a size 3 to 3.2 inches seed has a short and broad wings.

Occurrence

The natural range of Araucaria muelleri is located in the south of the island belonging to New Caledonia Grande Terre. It stretches from Mount Koghis to Mount des Sources.

Araucaria muelleri thrives at altitudes 150-1400 m. The species grows on soils that develop on ultramafic rocks. It occurs mainly in high thickets. More rarely they are also found in rainforests.

System

Araucaria muelleri belongs to the section Eutacta within the genus Araucaria (Araucaria ). The first description was in 1867 as Eutacta muelleri by Élie -Abel Carrière in Traité général des conifères, 2, pp. 864 Adolphe Brongniart, and Jean Antoine Arthur Gris convicted this type in 1870 in the Annales des Sciences Naturelles; Botanique, Ser. 5, 13, pp. 362 to the genus Araucaria.

Threats and conservation

Araucaria muelleri is " critically endangered " on the Red List of IUCN. The largest population consists of more than 2000 trees. Most other stocks comprising less than 200 or even less than 20 trees. Since there are large distances between many stocks, a genetic exchange or a re- population from other parts of the range is hardly possible. As the main threat reason of mining and related activities, such as road construction and overburden storage called. Furthermore, forest fires represent a danger

Swell

• Template: Internet resource / maintenance / access date not in ISO format Christopher J. Earle: Araucaria muelleri. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, December 12, accessed 13 June 2011 (English).