Araucaria -

" because they have remained largely unchanged since the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Once distributed worldwide, these majestic trees are now primarily found in the Southern Hemisphere, specifically in South America and Australasia. Distinctive Botanical Features Unique Structure

The Araucaria lineage dates back to the Triassic period (around 200 million years ago). During the Jurassic period, these trees were a primary food source for long-necked sauropods. Evidence of their antiquity is found in the leaves: they retain primitive characteristics lost in modern pines, such as the ability to sprout new branches directly from the trunk (epicormic shoots) and the retention of dead leaves on the trunk for decades. araucaria

The genus Araucaria (family Araucariaceae) is a lineage of coniferous trees with an evolutionary history stretching back to the Mesozoic Era. Often described as "living fossils," these trees were once a dominant component of the flora of the supercontinent Gondwana. Today, the genus is restricted to disjunct distributions in the Southern Hemisphere, including South America, Australia, New Caledonia, and several Pacific islands. This paper provides an overview of the genus, highlighting its distinctive morphology, ecological roles, evolutionary significance, and the conservation challenges it faces in the Anthropocene. " because they have remained largely unchanged since