conifer Rottnest Island Western Australia

This tree was photographed in Rottnest Island Western Australia. I would like to idetify it, please

 

Araucaria heterophylla or Araucaria columnaris (both introduced, from Norfolk Island and New Caledonia, respectively)

 

Has the leaning trunk and narrow outline of the latter species.

 

Araucaria cunninghamii (Hoop Pine) or Araucaria bidwillii (Bunya) - native to Queensland are also possible choice?

 

Those have different leaves and branching habit.

 

I suspect it is A. columnaris. I have been noticing many trees like this on the New South Wales coast lately, all of similar size and presumably age. They stand in strong contrast to similar-sized trees of A. heterophylla, which have very regular whorls of branches, separated by long bare spans of trunk towards the apex. I took some pictures of the 2 growth forms, apparently from the one period of planting.

I have been fortunate to see both species on their native islands. Looking back over some slides I took of them (pre-digital days!), I am more and more convinced that the planted trees I see have both species represented. Have a look at the pictures below.

A. columnaris has been occasionally planted here over 100 years ago, and the old trees are easily identified, usually with slightly curved trunk and very numerous, short lateral branches, actually longer on the upper trunk. This younger cohort I have mentioned are perhaps around 30 years old. I strongly suspect they were planted as Norfolk Island Pine (a name which will bring Michael's wrath upon me?). And I also suspect there was a seed supplier to the nursery trade who was selling seed of A. columnaris as A. heterophylla, either knowingly or unknowingly. And as the seed trade tends to be international, the substitution may also have happened in other countries where Norfolk Island Pine is grown.

Krystyna, A. cunninghamii and A. bidwillii are quite different again, easily recognisable in silhouette.

 

Hi Krystyna

There are too many possible Banksias in the area around Perth for me to hazzard a guess at the Banksia ID from a photo, you would be best to send it to the Perth Herbarium or Kings Park in WA where they have expert knowledge of the local flora, rather than to us here in Canberra.

The Araucaria looks like Araucaria heterophylla from Norfolk Island (halfway between Australia and New Zealand), which is widely planted in coastal areas around Australia.

Murray

___________________________________
Murray Fagg
Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Canberra, Australia
Tel: 02 - 6250 9530
Fax: 02 - 6250 9528
Web: www.anbg.gov.au
Programs of the Australian Government
___________________________________

 

Hi Krystyna,

In response to your query the plant you photographed would have been a Rottnest Island Pine, Araucaria heterophylla.

Hope this has helped and hope you enjoyed your visit to Rottnest Island.

Thanks,

Melissa Robins
Environmental Officer
Rottnest Island Authority
PO Box 693
Fremantle WA 6959

Ph: 9372 9707
Mob: 0434 077 556

 

Araucaria heterophylla, Norfolk Island pine, from the South Pacific Norfolk Island was discovered in 1700s. The genus Araucaria occurs across the South Pacific, especially concentrated in New Caledonia (about 700 km due north of Norfolk Island) where 13 closely related and similar-appearing species are found. The trees grow to a height of 50-65 m, with straight vertical trunks and symmetrical branches, even in the face of incessant onshore winds that can contort most other species. As well as in its native Norfolk Island, it is widely planted in Australia, New Zealand, Florida, Hawaii, South Africa and southern California.

 

I am afraid thge lady from the Rottnest Island Authority is misinforming you. "Rottnest Island Pine" is the accepted common name for Callitris preissii, as applied in Flora of Australia vol. 48 (1998), which says of that species "Restricted to a relatively small area around Perth and on Rottnest Is., south-western W.A. Locally common in calcareous sand deposits derived from old beach dunes."

As this link will show, Callitris looks quite unlike Araucaria.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Callitris

And I still say the tree in your picture looks more like Araucaria columnaris than A. heterophylla.

 

Amen. My primary exposure to the two superficially similar species was in Hawaii, where it appeared the far more common one was A. columnaris yet all were being called Norfolk Island pine.

 

Hi Krystyna,
I apologise it is Norfolk Island pine not Rottnest Island pine! A typed error, was thinking of Norfolk pine! I am told by our plant experts and what is in the Rottnest Island herbarium that it is definitely Araucaria heterophylla.
I hope this has sorted your controversy.
Thanks,
Melissa