Agathis ovata
Encyclopedia
Agathis ovata is a species of conifer, genus Agathis
in the Araucariaceae
family.
It is found only on the southwest Pacific
island of New Caledonia
.
It is threatened by habitat loss.
on montane scrubland or in forests, although it requires a high level of rainfall so is generally restricted to between 150-1000 metres. Agathis were once found worldwide, although species such as this are now becoming very restricted. Other members of this family, Araucariaceae
, include Hoop Pine (Araucaria cunninghamii
), Queensland Kauri (Agathis robusta
) and Cook Pine (Araucaria columnaris
), of which the former two are found in rainforests and the latter in coastal forests of New Caledonia
. Although these trees are at no risk, Agathis ovata is at a high risk of extinction from logging of tall forest trees and mining activities which clear its habitat.
Agathis
The genus Agathis, commonly known as kauri or dammar, is a relatively small genus of 21 species of evergreen tree. The genus is part of the ancient Araucariaceae family of conifers, a group once widespread during the Jurassic period, but now largely restricted to the Southern Hemisphere except for...
in the Araucariaceae
Araucariaceae
Araucariaceae, commonly referred to as araucarians, is a very ancient family of coniferous trees. It achieved its maximum diversity in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, when it was distributed almost worldwide...
family.
It is found only on the southwest Pacific
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
island of New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
.
It is threatened by habitat loss.
Habitat
Agathis ovata, also known as Mountain Kauri, is found only in New CaledoniaNew Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
on montane scrubland or in forests, although it requires a high level of rainfall so is generally restricted to between 150-1000 metres. Agathis were once found worldwide, although species such as this are now becoming very restricted. Other members of this family, Araucariaceae
Araucariaceae
Araucariaceae, commonly referred to as araucarians, is a very ancient family of coniferous trees. It achieved its maximum diversity in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, when it was distributed almost worldwide...
, include Hoop Pine (Araucaria cunninghamii
Araucaria cunninghamii
Araucaria cunninghamii is a species of Araucaria known as Moreton Bay Pine, or Hoop Pine. Other less commonly used names include Colonial Pine, Richmond River Pine, Queensland Pine, Alloa, Ningwik, or Pien, the wood is sometimes called Arakaria)...
), Queensland Kauri (Agathis robusta
Agathis robusta
Agathis robusta is a coniferous tree in the family Araucariaceae, native to eastern Queensland, Australia...
) and Cook Pine (Araucaria columnaris
Araucaria columnaris
Araucaria columnaris, the Coral reef araucaria, is a unique species of conifer in the Araucariaceae family. It is endemic to New Caledonia in the southwestern Pacific....
), of which the former two are found in rainforests and the latter in coastal forests of New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
. Although these trees are at no risk, Agathis ovata is at a high risk of extinction from logging of tall forest trees and mining activities which clear its habitat.
Description
It is a medium tree, growing to 25 metres tall with a straight trunk in forests, although on the scrubland where it is more common it is a large shrub or small tree, branching from the base upwards with a broad, flat, crown and 1-8 metres tall. The bark has deep fissures, and is normally whitish-tan on the outside and red-brown on the underside.Source
- Conifer Specialist Group 1998. Agathis ovata. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 10 July 2007.
- Enplanted http://www.enplanted.com/