Best Shot Monday: Dinosaur Tree

Now this is an interesting photo from the weekend. I feel a bit funny putting it up as my Best Shot because it probably isn't, but the subject matter is the amazing thing.

Baby Angel (Bee) and her friend are standing next to a piece of prehistory, the Wollemi Pine.

This weird and rather seedy looking sapling is one of a genus which once populated our continent, way before our ubiquitous eucalypts (gum trees) reared their straggly heads. As I read it, before one of the ice ages, this species was the predominant vegetation as far south as Antarctica. Its pollen is all OVER our fossil records and up until 1994 it was thought to be extinct. At that time a young 'Parks' employee and keen bushwalker stumbled across a stand of these trees at the bottom of a deep gorge. It was like stepping back into a prehistoric landscape.

Since then a second and third stand have been discovered, all within a small radius and in the same gorge system. The depth of the gorge has protected them from climate change over time but there are less than 100 trees growing in the wild, the tallest being up to 40 meters in height.

A propagation program has been set up with specimens being donated to many Botanical Parks and seedlings now available on the open market. I believe they are even available in the USA! What is remarkable is how hardy the trees are proving to be, outside their natural setting. For a species on the edge of extinction they are doing very well as parlour palms :-)

The part I find even MORE remarkable is that in DNA testing it has been identified that every tree has identical DNA. Not simply similar, something which was predicted given their localised environment and therefore the genetic bottleneck, but identical. There are a number of theories relating to this. Firstly, there is the suggestion that all the trees are part of one root system which is essentially one organism. The other idea is that there is some small genetic difference which we are, as yet, unable to measure. Either way it is fascinating!!

So to find one in our own Botanical Gardens filled me with awe. I was a little disturbed to see how seedy this one looked although the top looks green and there is obviously new growth. Perhaps the lower branch die off is part of its natural habit? On the other hand, maybe last Summer's drought did it no favours.

I am not sure the girls were as struck with the mystery and marvel of this living fossil as I was. I think they were more intent upon the promised ice cream, just around the corner. Oh well, by the time they are aware of how special this tree is, I hope it will be a towering giant in our park. Something akin to the trees dinosaurs may have rubbed up against or grazed upon way back in the time before 'us'.........................................wow...............................

For other awesome pictures, be sure to have a look at Best Shot Monday over at Picture This.