Why is the Norfolk Island pine not a true pine?

The Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) is not a true pine because it belongs to an entirely different botanical family, the Araucariaceae.12

While both plants are conifers, true pines belong to the family Pinaceae and the genus Pinus. The Norfolk Island pine is a member of the Araucariaceae family, which is distinguished by different reproductive structures and evolutionary history. For instance, while true pines produce woody cones with specific scale arrangements and winged seeds, the Araucariaceae family features massive seed cones with highly reduced scales that are completely fused to their bracts.32

The common name is simply a misnomer based on superficial similarities, such as its evergreen nature and needlelike leaves on young specimens, which lead many to associate it with the more familiar Pinus genus.13