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'''''Araucaria araucana''''' ('''Pehuén''' or '''Monkey-puzzle''') is the hardiest species in the [[Pinophyta|conifer]] genus ''[[Araucaria]]''. It is native to central [[Chile]] and west central [[Argentina]], and is an [[evergreen]] [[tree]] growing to 40 m tall and 2 m trunk diameter.  It is an example of a [[living fossil]].  It is considered as the [[national tree]] of Chile.

'''''Araucaria araucana''''' ('''Pehuén''' or '''Monkey-puzzle''') is the hardiest species in the [[Pinophyta|conifer]] genus ''[[Araucaria]]''. It is native to central [[Chile]] and west central [[Argentina]], and is an [[evergreen]] [[tree]] growing to 40 m tall and 2 m trunk diameter.  It is an example of a [[living fossil]].  It is considered as the [[national tree]] of Chile.

The [[leaf|leaves]] are thick, tough and scale like, triangular, 3-4 cm long, 1-3 cm broad at the base, and with razor-sharp edges and tip. They persist for 10-15 years or more, so cover most of the tree except for the older branches.

The [[leaf|leaves]] are thick, tough and scale like, triangular, 3-4 cm long, 1-3 cm broad at the base, and with razor-sharp edges and tip. They persist for 10-15 years or more, so cover most of the tree except for the older branches.

{| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" align="left"

{| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" align="left"

| [[Image:Conguillio National Park.jpg|thumb|left|Bark of a tree in [[Conguillío National Park]], Chile]]

| [[Image:Conguillio National Park.jpg|thumb|left|Bark of a tree in [[Conguillío National Park]], Chile]]

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| [[Image:Araucaria araucana cones.jpg|thumb|left|female cones]]

| [[Image:Araucaria araucana cones.jpg|thumb|left|female cones]]

Its native habitat is the lower slopes of the Chilean and Argentinian south-central [[Andes]], typically above 1000 m, in regions with heavy snowfall in winter. The weight of the snow breaks the older branches so the natural tree retains only a short crown of vegetation above a column trunk; quite different from the full appearance of this species in temperate gardens. It prefers well drained, slightly acidic, volcanic [[soil]] but will tolerate almost any soil type provided drainage is good.  

Its native habitat is the lower slopes of the Chilean and Argentinian south-central [[Andes]], typically above 1000 m, in regions with heavy snowfall in winter. The weight of the snow breaks the older branches so the natural tree retains only a short crown of vegetation above a column trunk; quite different from the full appearance of this species in temperate gardens. It prefers well drained, slightly acidic, volcanic [[soil]] but will tolerate almost any soil type provided drainage is good.  

First found in Chile in the 1780s, it was named ''Pinus araucana'' by [[Juan Ignacio Molina|Molina]] in 1782. In 1789, [[Antoine Laurent de Jussieu|de Jussieu]] had erected a new genus called '''Araucaria''' based on the species, and in 1797 [[José Antonio Pavón|Pavón]] published a new description of the species which he called ''Araucaria imbricata'' (an invalid name, as it did not use Molina's older species epithet). Finally in 1873, after several further redescriptions, Koch published the combination ''Araucaria araucana'', validating Molina's name in the genus. The name ''araucana'' is derived from the native Araucano People who used the nuts (seeds) of the tree in Chile.

First found in Chile in the 1780s, it was named ''Pinus araucana'' by [[Juan Ignacio Molina|Molina]] in 1782. In 1789, [[Antoine Laurent de Jussieu|de Jussieu]] had erected a new genus called '''Araucaria''' based on the species, and in 1797 [[José Antonio Pavón|Pavón]] published a new description of the species which he called ''Araucaria imbricata'' (an invalid name, as it did not use Molina's older species epithet). Finally in 1873, after several further redescriptions, Koch published the combination ''Araucaria araucana'', validating Molina's name in the genus. The name ''araucana'' is derived from the native Araucano People who used the nuts (seeds) of the tree in Chile.

===Cultivation and uses===

===Cultivation and uses===

It is a popular garden tree, planted for its unusual effect of the thick, 'reptilian' branches with a very symmetrical appearance. It prefers temperate [[oceanic climate]]s with abundant rainfall, tolerating temperatures down to about &minus;20 °C. It is far and away the hardiest member of its genus, and can grow well in western [[Europe]] (north to the [[Faroe Islands]] and [[Ålesund]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.scanpalm.no/araucaria_english.html | title=Araucaria araucana in Ålesund}}</ref>in western [[Norway]]), the west coast and locally on the east coast of [[North America]] (north to the [[Queen Charlotte Islands]] in [[Canada]]), and in [[New Zealand]] and southeastern [[Aust

It is a popular garden tree, planted for its unusual effect of the thick, 'reptilian' branches with a very symmetrical appearance. It prefers temperate [[oceanic climate]]s with abundant rainfall, tolerating temperatures down to about &minus;20 °C. It is far and away the hardiest member of its genus, and can grow well in western [[Europe]] (north to the [[Faroe Islands]] and [[Ålesund]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.scanpalm.no/araucaria_english.html | title=Araucaria araucana in Ålesund}}</ref>in western [[Norway]]), the west coast and locally on the east coast of [[North America]] (north to the [[Queen Charlotte Islands]] in [[Canada]]), and in [[New Zealand]] and southeastern [[Aust

ralia]]. It is tolerant of coastal salt spray, but does not like exposure to [[pollution]].  

ralia]]. It is tolerant of coastal salt spray, but does not like exposure to [[pollution]].  

===Common names===

===Common names===

The origin of the popular English name '''Monkey-puzzle''' derives from its early cultivation in [[Britain]] in about [[1850]], when the species was still very rare in gardens and not widely known. The proud owner of a young specimen at [[Pencarrow]] garden near [[Bodmin]] in [[Cornwall]] was showing it to a group of friends, and one made the remark "It would puzzle a monkey to climb that"; as the species had no existing popular name, first 'monkey-puzzler', then 'monkey-puzzle' stuck (Mitchell 1996).  As a practical exercise, a [[monkey]] trying to climb one would not be so much puzzled as injured by the razor-sharp leaf edges. (In [[France]] the araucaria is known as "désepoir des singes" or "monkey's despair".)  However, as monkeys are not found in the species' native range, the question does not arise. The species' Mapuche name '''Pehuén''' is now becoming more widely used as an alternative common name in English. Prior to 1850, it had been called "Joseph Bank's Pine" or "Chile Pine" in Britain, both somewhat confusing as it is not a [[pine]].

The origin of the popular English name '''Monkey-puzzle''' derives from its early cultivation in [[Britain]] in about [[1850]], when the species was still very rare in gardens and not widely known. The proud owner of a young specimen at [[Pencarrow]] garden near [[Bodmin]] in [[Cornwall]] was showing it to a group of friends, and one made the remark "It would puzzle a monkey to climb that"; as the species had no existing popular name, first 'monkey-puzzler', then 'monkey-puzzle' stuck (Mitchell 1996).  As a practical exercise, a [[monkey]] trying to climb one would not be so much puzzled as injured by the razor-sharp leaf edges. (In [[France]] the araucaria is known as "désepoir des singes" or "monkey's despair".)  However, as monkeys are not found in the species' native range, the question does not arise. The species' Mapuche name '''Pehuén''' is now becoming more widely used as an alternative common name in English. Prior to 1850, it had been called "Joseph Bank's Pine" or "Chile Pine" in Britain, both somewhat confusing as it is not a [[pine]].

===References and External links===

===References and External links===