21.000 Araucaria Juss. - Monkey puzzles

Trees, branches whorled or almost so, winter buds small. Leaves spirally arranged, lamina needle-like to broadly ovate, variable even on the same tree. Pollen cones tassel-like, axillary or terminal on branchlets; microsporophylls densely arranged. Seed cones near the top of the crown, erect, ovulate scales ligulate; bracts of mature cones large, woody distal part thickened, distal margin ridged. Seeds connate with bracts.

Derivation of name: for the Arauco district of Chile, in which species of the genus grow naturally.

Worldwide: 19 species in Papua New Guinea, Australia to South America.

Zimbabwe: 5 cultivated taxa.