Araucaria bidwillii, também conhecida como araucária-de-queenslândia

[1] e pinheiro Bunia, é uma espécie de conífera do gênero Araucária, originária de Queensland, Austrália, porém encontrada de forma

cultivada em diversas regiões do mundo. Espécies fósseis de

morfologia parecida foram encontradas na Europa e na América do Sul.

Pode atingir mais de 50 m de altura.[2]

O nome foi dado pelo botânico William Jackson Hooker em homenagem a

John Carne Bidwill, botânico britânico radicado na Oceania e que

primeiro coletou dados daquela região da Austrália, enviando

espécimes para estudiosos da Inglaterra.

A. bidwillii era uma árvore sagrada para o povo Aborígene, que a

chamavam de Bunia, Bonie, Bunii ou Bunia-bunia, conforme as

diferentes tribos e as diferentes transcrições europeias do nome

original da árvore. As sementes são comestíveis, semelhantes ao

pinhão e foram um importante alimento para eles, que as consumiam

cruas ou moidas e assadas numa espécie de pão.

"The cones are 20–35 cm (7.9–13.8 in) in diameter, can weigh as much

as 10 kg (22 lb), and are opened by large birds, such as cockatoos,

or disintegrate when mature to release the large 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in)

seeds or nuts."

Araucaria bidwillii, commonly known as the bunya pine or bunya-bunya and sometimes

referred to as the false monkey puzzle tree, is a large evergreen coniferous tree in the plant

family Araucariaceae. It is found naturally in south-east Queensland Australia and two small

disjunct populations in north eastern Queensland's World Heritage listed Wet Tropics.

There are many old planted specimens in New South Wales, and around the

Perth, Western Australia metropolitan area. They can grow up to 30–45 m (98–148 ft).

The tallest presently living is one in Bunya Mountains National Park, Queensland which was

reported by Robert Van Pelt in January 2003 to be 169 feet (51.5 m) in height.

The bunya pine is the last surviving species of the Section Bunya of the genus Araucaria. This section was diverse and widespread during the Mesozoic with some species having cone morphology similar to A. bidwillii, which appeared during the Jurassic. Fossils of Section Bunya are found in South America and Europe. The scientific name honours the botanist John Carne Bidwill, who came across it in 1842 and sent the first specimens to Sir William Hooker in the following year.

The cones are 20–35 cm (7.9–13.8 in) in diameter, can weigh as much as 10 kg (22 lb),[12]

and are opened by large birds, such as cockatoos, or disintegrate when mature to release the

large 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in) seeds or nuts.