Agathis macrophylla

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Agathis macrophylla
Young trees at Auckland, New Zealand
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnospermae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order:
Araucariales
Family: Araucariaceae
Genus: Agathis
Species:
A. macrophylla
Binomial name
Agathis macrophylla
(Lindl.) Mast. (1892)
Synonyms[2]
  • Agathis brownii (Lem.) L.H.Bailey (1933)
  • Agathis longifolia (Lindl. ex Gordon) Warb. (1900), not validly publ.
  • Agathis obtusa (Lindl.) Mast. (1892)
  • Agathis vitiensis (Seem.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex Drake (1892)
  • Dammara longifolia Lindl. ex Gordon (1862), not validly publ.
  • Dammara macrophylla Lindl. (1851)
  • Dammara obtusa Lindl. (1851)
  • Dammara perousei C.Moore ex Hook. (1852), not validly publ.
  • Dammara vitiensis Seem. (1868)

Agathis macrophylla known as Pacific kauri, is a

coniferous tree native to the islands of the southwestern Pacific Ocean in tropical humid lowlands and lower montane regions, notably in Fiji, Vanuatu, and the Santa Cruz Islands. The Pacific kauri is one of the largest and fastest growing species in its genus, and is important in forestry.[3]

Description

canopy after attaining a trunk diameter of 30–50 cm. In mature specimens, the trunk is generally straight or slightly tapered and clear for 15–20 m before branching into a spreading canopy up to 35 m in diameter. The root
system is deep and strong, and the trees are highly wind resistant.

The

lanceolate, 7–15 cm long and 2–4 cm wide. They are borne on short petioles
and held in a decussate pairs, but twisted so they lie in one plane. Leaves in the shade, of juvenile trees, and of individuals growing in wetter regions, tend to be larger.

Male

seeds, which are small, flattened, and attached to a wing about 3.5 cm in length. Wind dispersal is very efficient; seeds have been known to travel tens of kilometres in the wind, and may even travel hundreds of kilometres during the tropical cyclones
that occur frequently in the species' range.

Ecology

Foliage of Agathis macrophylla

A. macrophylla is one of the largest trees in its range, and occurs as a dominant emergent tree in closed, humid, lowland-montane tropical forests. Associated plant species vary from location to location, but include Cryptocarya turbinata, Ilex vitiensis, Garcinia vitiensis, Palaquium spp., and Podocarpus spp. in Vanuatu, Calophyllum vitiense, Dacrydium nidulum, Retrophyllum vitiense, Fagraea berteroana, and Podocarpus spp. in Fiji.

It is one of the fastest growing species in its genus, capable of growing 1-1.5 metres in height annually in lightly shaded to open areas, where growth is fastest. The species is fairly shade tolerant, especially in the seedling stage, though growth is slow under suppression. Strong root systems enable mature trees to withstand cyclones and seed rapidly into gaps. The species on the whole is long lived, capable of reaching ages of 300–1000 years.

Uses

A. macrophylla is a valued commercial timber species, and its wood is much sought after for many uses. The wood is a cream to gold colour (mature

heartwood is a lustrous brown) and much appreciated in the timber industry, particularly as a surface veneer
. The dry wood has a density of approximately 540 kg/m3.

Pacific kauri is a valuable tree throughout the southeastern Pacific (Melanesia). The timber is frequently used for house construction, canoe carving, and totem pole construction. Smoke from the resin is used as a black dye for hair, clothes and tattoos, and the leaves are used in traditional medicine. Fijians value the resin itself (known as makadre) to be used as pottery glaze and torch fuel.[4]

See also

References

  1. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T34321A2852140.en
    . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ Agathis macrophylla (Lindl.) Mast. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  3. ^ Agathis macrophylla was previously known as A. obtusa in Vanuatu and A. vitiensis in Fiji, but these are now regarded as 'non-preferred names' (Thompson 2006:2).
  4. ^ Keppel, Gunnar; Ghazanfar, Shahina A. (2011). Trees of Fiji: A Guide to 100 Rainforest Trees (third, revised ed.). Secretariat of the Pacific Community & Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit. pp. 54–5.

Notes

External links

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