Araucaria rulei 18928
Author: Ferdinand von Müller (1825-1896)Family: Araucariaceae
Genus: Araucaria Section: Eutacta
English name: Rule araucaria
Zone: New Zealand
Description
This species is from New Caledonia, from the Grande Terre, scattered throughout the island but more common in the southern half. It occurs most often on ultramafic soils derived from serpentine, periodite or ironstone, which may have weathered to brown laterite, amd are very low in phosphorus and often contain nickel. Its altitudinal range is 400-800m above sea level. This species is named after John Rule, who was a nurseryman in Melbourne, Victoria, in the mid-19th century.
Araucaria rulei Observed in New Caledonia by Joey Santore (license)
Botanical Description
It is a monoecious tree to 20m tall, to 0,6m in diameter. The trunk is straight, sometimes curved. The bark is to 2cm thick, exfoliating in horizontal strips. The inner bark is dull brown or dark red-brown. The outer bark is light grey. The resin exudates copious, white. The crown in mature trees is very open. The branches are along greater part of trunk but are few in number. The primary first order branches of mature trees are 1,5-3m long, middle and upper ones assurgent but lower ones strongly declinate and turned upwards only at the end. The most branches are finally caducous.
The adult leaves on ultimate branchlets are broadly lanceolate, 13-25 x 5-14mm, flat, widest and curved just above base, tapering to a curved, acute apex, weakly keeled abaxially, smooth or sometimes sdtriate, lustrous green.
The pollen cones are terminal, erect when shedding pollen but horizontal when old, straight or curved, 8-25cm x 20-35mm. The microsporophylls are attached to a stout, 10mm thick rachis, imbricate. The stalk is linear, 3-7mm long. The margins are entire or weakly denticulate. The abaxial surface is smooth. The apex is acute or pungent. The pollen sacs are per 10-16, linear, 5-8mm long.
The seed cones are terminal on short, thick branches, usually solitary, erect, broadly ovoid, 8-12 x 5,5-8cm. the bracts are flabellate-cyathiform, 2-2,3 x 1,8-2cm including rounded, thin membranous wings, distally thickened, ending in a caudate, upward curved, 15-20mm long tip. The seed scales are not wider than the seed. The ligule is triangular, 1-2mm long. The seeds are oblong, slightly narrowing towards base of scale, 16-20 x 9mm, slightly flattened, striated longitudinally or smooth, brown when ripe.
The adult leaves on ultimate branchlets are broadly lanceolate, 13-25 x 5-14mm, flat, widest and curved just above base, tapering to a curved, acute apex, weakly keeled abaxially, smooth or sometimes sdtriate, lustrous green.
The pollen cones are terminal, erect when shedding pollen but horizontal when old, straight or curved, 8-25cm x 20-35mm. The microsporophylls are attached to a stout, 10mm thick rachis, imbricate. The stalk is linear, 3-7mm long. The margins are entire or weakly denticulate. The abaxial surface is smooth. The apex is acute or pungent. The pollen sacs are per 10-16, linear, 5-8mm long.
The seed cones are terminal on short, thick branches, usually solitary, erect, broadly ovoid, 8-12 x 5,5-8cm. the bracts are flabellate-cyathiform, 2-2,3 x 1,8-2cm including rounded, thin membranous wings, distally thickened, ending in a caudate, upward curved, 15-20mm long tip. The seed scales are not wider than the seed. The ligule is triangular, 1-2mm long. The seeds are oblong, slightly narrowing towards base of scale, 16-20 x 9mm, slightly flattened, striated longitudinally or smooth, brown when ripe.
Member of
The Genus: Araucaria Section: Eutacta having the following characters: Leaves reduced, thick, imbricate and often carinate and normally erect.
Male cones are terminal, discretely located; female cones on long peduncles, the fused bract and seed scales (bract-scale complex) provided with thinskinned wings, indehiscent, seed remaining on the scale during seed dispersal; the bract-scale complex is vascularized by a single vascular bundle branching off the cone stem. Epigeal germination. Cotyledons subsessile, disengaging from the seed during germination. Hypocotyl not fleshy.
Male cones are terminal, discretely located; female cones on long peduncles, the fused bract and seed scales (bract-scale complex) provided with thinskinned wings, indehiscent, seed remaining on the scale during seed dispersal; the bract-scale complex is vascularized by a single vascular bundle branching off the cone stem. Epigeal germination. Cotyledons subsessile, disengaging from the seed during germination. Hypocotyl not fleshy.
Useful plant
This species is used in local ecological restoration projects, in which good results have been obtained. The wood is not exploited.
References
- A handbook of the world's conifers 1+2, Aljos Farjon. 2010 pag. 209-210. ISBN
- Mines et environnement en Nouvelle-Calédonie : les milieux sur substrats ultramafiques et leur restauration, L'Huillier, Laurent and Jaffré, Tanguy and Wulff, Adrien. 2010 pag. 236-241. Address
- The genus Araucaria, illustrated overview, Hubertus Nimsch. 2011 pag. 123,126. ISBN
- The Gymnosperm Database. Araucaria rulei
References
- A handbook of the world's conifers 1+2, Aljos Farjon. 2010 pag. 209-210. ISBN
- Mines et environnement en Nouvelle-Calédonie : les milieux sur substrats ultramafiques et leur restauration, L'Huillier, Laurent and Jaffré, Tanguy and Wulff, Adrien. 2010 pag. 236-241. Address
- The genus Araucaria, illustrated overview, Hubertus Nimsch. 2011 pag. 123,126. ISBN
- The Gymnosperm Database. Araucaria rulei
References for the genus
General specifications
Biological type: tree
Frost resistance: 27ºF
Leaf color: dark green
IUCN Red List of threatened species status: Endangered
Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 65,6ft x 9,8ft
Sun exposure: big part sun (Sun hours: >4h <7h Foliage: evergreen
Growth: slow
Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: 40%Compost+20%Peet+40%Sand
Plant watering: 1x a day pH 5.5
Logical sequence of containers for: Oaks; 2L forestry pot, 6L container, 55L container, 110L container, 240L container
Propagation is done by seeds
Ecology in its country of origin
Rainfall: 2000-3000mm
Frost resistance: 27ºF
Leaf color: dark green
IUCN Red List of threatened species status: Endangered
Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 65,6ft x 9,8ft
Sun exposure: big part sun (Sun hours: >4h <7h Foliage: evergreen
Growth: slow
Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: 40%Compost+20%Peet+40%Sand
Plant watering: 1x a day pH 5.5
Logical sequence of containers for: Oaks; 2L forestry pot, 6L container, 55L container, 110L container, 240L container
Propagation is done by seeds
Ecology in its country of origin
Rainfall: 2000-3000mm
Sowing instructions
IMMEDIATE SPRING Clean to pure seeds. Keep in refrigerator at 39°F in humid substrat. Immerse all the seeds in water, seeds that float horizontally are not viable. Sow the seeds at 10mm depth in the Well Drained Seed Sowing Mix between 68-77°F. During germination keep the substrate moist and protected from direct sunlight. The seeds germinate in 2-3 weeks.
The average seed weight is 3,3 per gram (0,3g).
The viability of the seeds, kept under good conditions, is one year.
Germination references
- Mines et environnement en Nouvelle-Calédonie : les milieux sur substrats ultramafiques et leur restauration, L'Huillier, Laurent and Jaffré, Tanguy and Wulff, Adrien. 2010 pag. 236-241. Address
Germination references for the genus
- USDA Forest Service's Woody Plant Seed Manual, John K. Francis and Craig D.Whitesell. 2008. Address
The average seed weight is 3,3 per gram (0,3g).
The viability of the seeds, kept under good conditions, is one year.
Germination references
- Mines et environnement en Nouvelle-Calédonie : les milieux sur substrats ultramafiques et leur restauration, L'Huillier, Laurent and Jaffré, Tanguy and Wulff, Adrien. 2010 pag. 236-241. Address
Germination references for the genus
- USDA Forest Service's Woody Plant Seed Manual, John K. Francis and Craig D.Whitesell. 2008. Address
Experiences in the garden
12-12-20A Obtaining seeds from seed provider Rare Palm Seeds.
13-07-21 Sown 10 seeds in a seed plate F, they did not geminate.
Protocol: Immediat Spring 1mm Light sowing mix >77°F Marsh 2-3w
18-10-24B Obtaining seeds from seed provider Rare Palm Seeds.
06-05-25 Sown 10 seeds in a seed plate ½ and germinated at 02-06-25, result: 3 units in Serre6.
Protocol: Spring Clean Fridge Hum Flotation Test 10mm Sowing mix+Sand 68-77°F No direct sun 2-3w