Araucaria muelleri
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Araucaria muelleri |
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| ( Carrière ) Brongn. & Gris |
Araucaria muelleri is a species of the genus Araucaria ( Araucaria ). It is a highly endangered endemic to the Grande Terre islandin New Caledonia .
description
Araucaria muelleri grows as an evergreen tree that can reach heights of 10 to 25 meters. The shape of the crown resembles a chandelier. The gray bark flakes off in thin strips or scales. The branches reach a diameter of 3 to 5 centimeters.
The leaves of young specimens are scale-like and have a pointed tip. They are triangular in shape with a length of 2 to 2.5 centimeters. On older specimens, the scaly leaves that overlap like roof tiles are triangular with a length of 3 to 3.5 centimeters and a width of 1.5 to 2 centimeters with a pronounced central rib. The curved tip is pointed.
The male cones are cylindrical in shape with a length of 13 to 25 centimeters and a diameter of 2.8 to 3.7 centimeters. They contain pointed microsporophylls with 20 pollen sacs. The female cones have a length of 11 to 15 centimeters and a diameter of 8 to 10 centimeters. The seed, which is triangular in size from 3 to 3.2 centimeters, has short and wide wings.
Occurrence
The natural range of Araucaria muelleri lies in the south of the island of Grande Terre, which belongs to New Caledonia . It extends from Mont Koghis to Mont des Sources .
Araucaria muelleri thrives at altitudes between 150 and 1400 meters. The species grows on soils that develop on ultramafic rocks . It occurs mainly in high thickets. They are also found less frequently in rainforests.
Systematics
Araucaria muelleri belongs to the section Eutacta within the genus of the Araucarias ( Araucaria ). It was first described as Eutacta muelleri in 1867 by Élie-Abel Carrière in Traité général des conifères , 2, p. 864. Adolphe Brongniart and Jean Antoine Arthur Gris transferred this species to Annales des Sciences Naturelles in 1870 ; Botanique, sér. 5 , 13, p. 362 into the genus Araucaria .
Hazard and protection
Araucaria muelleri is listed on the IUCN Red List as "critically endangered". The largest population includes more than 2000 trees. Most of the other stands have fewer than 200 or even fewer than 20 trees. Since there are great distances between many populations, genetic exchange or repopulation from other parts of the distribution area is hardly possible. Mining and related activities such as road construction and overburden storage are cited as the main risk factor. Forest fires are also a danger.
swell
- Christopher J. Earle: Araucaria muelleri. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, December 12, 2010, accessed June 13, 2011 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e Christopher J. Earle: Araucaria muelleri. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, December 12, 2010, accessed June 13, 2011 .
- ↑ a b Araucaria muelleri in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2010. Posted by: Thomas, P., 2009. Accessed June 13, 2011th
- ↑ Araucaria muelleri at Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, accessed June 13, 2011.
Web links
Araucaria muelleri. In: endemia.nc. Retrieved June 13, 2011 (French, brief description, images and distribution map).