ARCHITECTURE OF THE WOLLEMI PINE (WOLLEMIA-NOBILIS, ARAUCARIACEAE), AUNIQUE COMBINATION OF MODEL AND REITERATION

The Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis W.G. Jones, K.D. Hill & J.M. Alien) is shown to possess a unique architecture. The model is not described by any of the 23 basic models previously described (Bell 1991), but c an be described by a modified Cook model whereby growth is rhythmic ra ther than continuous. This differs from all other extant members of Ar aucariaceae, which conform to the models of either Rauh or Massart. Th e branching and coppicing habits can both be interpreted as adaptive r eiterations. Both the architectural model and the two types of adaptiv e reiteration are advanced or autapomorphic conditions in the Wollemi pine.