| Etymology | Genus: Greek agathis, a ball of thread; from the appearance of the catkin on the female flowers. Species: Latin atro, black, dark; purpurea, purple; referring to the bark. |
| | It is not widely grown but could prove a useful specimen tree for parks and large gardens. The small round cones are quite decorative. Araucariaceae includes such conifers as hoop pines, Norfolk Island pines, kauri pines and the Wollemi pine. In geological history, this family covered most of Australia. As our continent drifted north and the climate became drier, it was forced to retreat to the warmer, wetter north-east coast of the continent. The blue kauri has found a refuge on the Atherton Tableland - if global warming accelerates rapidly it may have run out of places to hide. |
