What is the scientific name of the endangered monkey puzzle tree?

The scientific name of the endangered monkey puzzle tree is Araucaria araucana. This ancient-looking evergreen is also called the monkey-puzzle, pewen, pehuén, piñonero, or Chile pine.

Araucaria araucana is native to central and southern Chile and western Argentina, where it grows in temperate forests and volcanic landscapes. It is Chile’s national tree and is also the provincial tree of Neuquén in Argentina. Its stiff, triangular leaves overlap densely along the branches, giving mature trees a distinctive, almost prehistoric appearance.

The English name “monkey puzzle” arose in nineteenth-century Britain. After someone remarked that its prickly branches would puzzle a monkey attempting to climb it, the unusual name caught on. The tree’s seeds, called piñones, are large and edible and have long been important to Mapuche communities.

The species was classified as Endangered in 2013. Logging, livestock grazing, invasive species, seed harvesting, and major forest fires have all hindered regeneration. International trade is also regulated under CITES Appendix I.