Araucaria bidwillii - Bunya Pine

Bunya Pine is an evergreen, densely leafy tree up to 25 m tall. Bark is thick, resinous, the outer layers peeling off in thin flakes; branches symmetrical whorled, long and arching. Leaves are lanceshaped, spirally arranged, entire, tapering, stiff, dark green, shining, hairless. The flowers are monoecious and are pollinated by Wind. Staminate catkins cylindrical, 10.16 x 0.5 – 0.6 cm, dense clustered, at branch-ends on the upper branches, consisting of numerous spirally arranged stamens; anthers, stalkless, many-celled. Pistillate flowers aggregated on the upper branches along ovoid cones 15- 25 x 10-18 cm, consisting of many spirally arranged scales, each 8-10 x 6-7 cm with a recurved point; ovule single. Seed pyriform, 4-5 x 2-3 cm with only rudimentary wings. Bunya Pine is native to Australia.