Discovered within the Cerro Cuadrado Petrified Forest, the remains of Araucarites sanctaecrucis reveal a prominent coniferous tree that once thrived in Patagonia, Argentina. It flourished during the Middle to Upper Jurassic period, specifically spanning the Bathonian to Oxfordian ages. Described by paleobotanist Mary Gordon Calder in 1953, its exact affinities remain partially unresolved, placing it within the form genus Araucarites of the family Araucariaceae.
The branches of Araucarites sanctaecrucis grew highly symmetrical and woody, ranging from 5 to 25 millimeters in diameter. Its leaves were evergreen, arranged in a tight spiral, and closely appressed to one another in a scale-like configuration.
These rhomboidal leaves measured up to 14 millimeters in length, tapering gradually to a subacute point. The fossil record also reveals highly distinctive female cones associated with the species, showing unique structural affinities to ancient conifer lineages.
The Cerro Cuadrado Petrified Forest, where these fossils were preserved, was once part of the subtropical regions of the southern supercontinent Gondwana. The specific epithet sanctaecrucis serves as a Latinized tribute to the Argentinean province of Santa Cruz.
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