Norfolk Island Pine –

Araucaria heterophylla (synonym A. excelsa) is a species of conifer. As its vernacular name Norfolk Island pine (or Norfolk pine) implies, the tree is endemic to Norfolk Island, an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia. It is not a true pine, which belong to the genus Pinus in the family Pinaceae, but instead is a member of the genus Araucaria, in the family Araucariaceae, which also contains the monkey-puzzle tree. Members of Araucaria occur across the South Pacific, especially concentrated in New Caledonia (about 700 km or 430 mi due north of Norfolk Island) where 13 closely related and similar-appearing species are found. It is sometimes called a star pine, Polynesian pine, triangle tree or living Christmas tree, due to its symmetrical shape as a sapling.

Araucaria heterophylla
Norfolk-Island-Pines.jpg
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnosperms
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Araucariales
Family: Araucariaceae
Genus: Araucaria
Section: A. sect. Eutacta
Species:
A. heterophylla
Binomial name
Araucaria heterophylla
(Salisb.) Franco
Synonyms
  • Araucaria excelsa var. glauca Carrière
  • Eutacta excelsa var. aurea-variegata Carrière
  • Eutacta excelsa var. glauca (Carrière) Carrière
  • Eutacta excelsa var. monstrosa Carrière
  • Eutacta excelsa var. variegata-alba Carrière
  • Eutassa heterophylla Salisb.
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