PINACE^ 155 



island by Captain Cook during his second voyage in the Pacific. 

 Travellers describe it as a conifer of most remarkable habit ; the 

 trees when seen at a distance are said to resemble columns of 

 basalt. 



The wood is similar in character to that of A. Cunninghamii, 

 but of no commercial value outside its native country. 



A. Cookii is sometimes grown for decorative purposes in 

 warm temj^erate and sub-tropical countries, but it is not such 

 a desirable tree for the purpose as A. excelsa. 



Botanical Magazine, t. 4635 ; Gardener's Chronicle, 1877, pp. 86-87, with 

 figures. 



Araucaria Cunninghamii, Alton. 

 MoRETON Bay Pine. 



Colonial Pine ; Hoop Pine ; Riclimond River Pine ; Wliite Pine. 



A tree 150 ft. or occasionally 200 ft. high, with a girth up to 

 12 ft. Brcmches long, with the branchlets concentrated in dense 

 tufts near the point. Bark rough, in horizontal hoops or bands, 

 peeling off in thin layers. Leaves of two kinds, those on young 

 trees and lateral branches spirally arranged, usually lance-shaped 

 or triangular, ^f in. long, straight, spreading, sharp-pointed, 

 margins entire, green or glaucous ; on old trees and coning 

 branches, shorter, crowded, overlajjping, incurved, short- 

 pointed ; stomata on both surfaces in each case. Male catkins 

 2-3 in. long. Cones ovoid, symmetrical, about 4 in. long by 

 3 in. wide, teasel-like when young by reason of the protruding, 

 stiff, recurved scale-points ; scales broadly cuneate, with a 

 long, awn-like, reflexed apex. Seed with a narrow membranous 

 wing on each side. 



Var. glauca. 



This is distinguished by its silvery or glaucous foliage. 



A. Cunninghamii is found in the North Coast District of 

 New South Wales, the South Coast District of Queensland, and 

 in the Arfak Mountains, Dutch N.W. New Guinea, and is dis- 

 tinguished from other species by its tufted branches and the 

 hoop-like arrangement of the bark. 



Wood white or cream-coloured, easily worked, straight- 

 grained, and obtainable in large, clean planks. It is employed 

 for the indoor finish of houses, furniture, general house-fittings, 

 kitchen tables, for carving, boxwood, and sometimes for outside 

 work. The supply does not appear to be equal to the home 

 demand, for it is extensively sought after for boxes for dairy 

 and other produce. Resin is obtained from the tree, but it does 

 not appear to have any considerable commercial importance. 



There are good reasons why its cultivation should be con- 

 siderably extended in Australia, and also in S. Africa, where it 



