69 
Allies .—The genus Araucaria comprises about ten species, and they occur 
not only in Australia, but also in the Pacific Islands (including New Caledonia), 
the Malay Archipelago, and South America. The Colonial Pine and the Bunya 
Bunya (A. Bidicilli), whose large seeds at one time afforded such rich sustenance to 
the blacks, are peculiar to Australia. Then we have the Norfolk Island Pine {A. 
excelsa), whose leaves resemble those of the Colonial Pine to a remarkable extent. 
This tree, when quite young, is employed in Eastern Australia as a “Christmas 
tree ” in substitution of the Conifer largely used for the purpose in Europe. 
Another well-known Araucaria is A. imbricata, from Chili, which is hardy in 
Britain. It is an exceedingly handsome tree, with pungent leaves, closely set 
together, hence known to small boys, wdio treat it with respect, as “ Monkey 
Puzzle.” 
I have given an account of Araucarias, indigenous and exotic, in the Agri¬ 
cultural Gazette of N.S. W., for December, 1907, p. 903. Since that was published 
I have come across an unpublished memorandum by my predecessor, Mr. Charles 
Moore, in regard to New Caledonian Araucarias, which may be read in conjunction 
with the Gazette article referred to. 
The genus Araucaria is represented in New Caledonia by two well-defined species, namely, A. Cooldi 
and A. Rulei. Of these there are at least four varieties, which may prove to rank as species, but as no 
fruits of these have been obtainable by me, no definitions can be given. The first Araucaria, Cooldi, is 
generally found near the coast, extending from the extreme south northwards to about the middle of 
the island. On the hills adjoining inland, A. Rulei and the varieties previously referred to are to be found 
in more or less abundance, but principally on the eastern side. The genus Dammar a grows in similar 
situations as the Araucarias. Towards the extreme south there is one species, Dammara ovata, Moore, 
which attains a height from 100 to 200 feet. About Yangan another very distinct species, discovered 
and named after myself, Dammara Moorei, Lindley, is found. In a more southerly direction another 
species, allied to Moorei, has been observed. This I have named Dammara spinulosa. Between these 
and D. ovata there are two others found on the higher grounds inland, which are at present regarded 
as varieties. But another distinct species, dwarf in character, inhabits very high ground, and this I have 
named D. pumila, as it seldom attains a height from 6 to 8 feet. 
Araucaria as a European fossil. —In “Nature,” 1st July, 1880, Vol. xxi, 199, 
J. Starkie Gardner has a very interesting “ Chapter in the history of the Coniferte,” 
being some observations which have occurred to him in working out the Eocene 
coniferse, and which were somewhat outside the scope of his Palaeontograpliical 
Society’s Memoir. 
His remarks on the genus and on A. Cunninghamii and A. Bidioilli have 
special interest for us. He finds A. Cunninghamii at Bournemouth, England (in 
a fossil state, of course), to be very clearly defined, and draws some interesting 
conclusions therefrom. 
Then we have 
The type Araucaria is known to us in its entire cones and cone-scales from Jurassic strata, and 
care is requisite in dealing with it when we have unbroken cones only before us, that it may not be 
confounded with stems of Cycadese. The foliage, which varies much, as we know, in recent forms, can only 
be certainly determined when it is found in actual connection with the cones. (Solms-Laubach, “Fossil 
Botany,” Clarendon Press, Oxford, p. 57.) 
