''Araucaria luxurians'' is a species of

conifer Conifers () are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a sin ...

in the family

Araucariaceae Araucariaceae is a Family (biology), family of conifers with three living Genus, genera, ''Araucaria'', ''Agathis'', and ''Wollemia''. While the family's native distribution is now largely confined to the Southern Hemisphere, except for a few spe ...

. It is known by the common names Sapin de Noël and Coast araucaria.''Araucaria luxurians''.
The Gymnosperm Database. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

New Caledonia New Caledonia ( ; ) is a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, southwest of Vanuatu and east of Australia. Located from Metropolitan France, it forms a Overseas France#Sui generis collectivity, ''sui generis'' collectivity of t ...

, where it grows in several small subpopulations. It grows in

ultramafic Ultramafic rocks (also referred to as ultrabasic rocks, although the terms are not wholly equivalent) are igneous and meta-igneous rocks with a very low silica content (less than 45%), generally >18% MgO, high FeO, low potassium, and are usua ...

soils in humid forests and on cliffs and slopes. It is threatened by habitat loss and none of the subpopulations are in protected areas. This species is a tree growing up to 40 meters tall. Mature specimens may have trunks 70 centimeters in diameter. It is conical or pyramidal in form. The bark peels and releases a red exudate. The leaves are variable in shape and size. Most grow in clusters on small branches and at the tips of larger branches. The female cones are about 10 centimeters long and wide. The male pollen-bearing cones are up to 15 centimeters long and grow at the tips of upper branches.''Araucaria luxurians''.
Threatened Conifers of the World. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. This tree is cultivated as an ornamental on New Caledonia. It has an attractive conical growth habit similar to the more common Norfolk Island pine, but with lusher foliage, which makes it popular as a

Christmas tree A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen pinophyta, conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, associated with the celebration of Christmas. It may also consist of an artificial tree of similar appearance. The custom was deve ...

in New Caledonia. However outside of New Caledonia, ''Araucaria luxurians'' is rarely encountered outside of

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...

s and other specialised collections, due to New Caledonia's strict export laws.Plants of New Caledonia. Atlanta Botanical Garden
/ref>

References

luxurians Endangered plants Endemic flora of New Caledonia Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by Adolphe-Théodore Brongniart Taxa named by David John de Laubenfels Taxa named by Jean Antoine Arthur Gris {{conifer-stub