Wollemia
Wollemia Temporal range:
| |
---|---|
Specimen of Wollemia nobilis at Kew Gardens | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Gymnospermae |
Division: | Pinophyta |
Class: | Pinopsida |
Order: | Araucariales
|
Family: | Araucariaceae |
Genus: | Wollemia W.G.Jones, K.D.Hill & J.M.Allen |
Species: | W. nobilis
|
Binomial name | |
Wollemia nobilis W.G.Jones, K.D.Hill & J.M.Allen, 1995
|
Wollemia is a genus of
In both botanical and popular literature, the tree has been almost universally referred to as the Wollemi pine (
The Wollemi pine is classified as
A Recovery Plan has been drawn up, outlining strategies for the management of this fragile population. The overall objective is to ensure that the species remains viable in the long term.[4] Australian prime ministers and foreign affairs ministers have presented Wollemi pines to various dignitaries around the world.[6]
Although often described as a "living fossil", there are no unambiguous fossils of Wollemia and potential fossil records of it have been considered uncertain.[7]
Description
Wollemia nobilis is an
The
-
apical shoots
-
Leaves
-
Bark of W. nobilis
-
A 4 month old Wollemi pine seedling
-
Young W. nobilis pollen cone
-
Female cones
-
Mature tree
History
Discovery
The discovery, on or about 10 September 1994, by David Noble, Michael Casteleyn, and Tony Zimmerman, occurred only because the group had been systematically exploring the area looking for new canyons.[8] Noble had good botanical knowledge, and quickly recognised the trees as unusual because of the unique bark and worthy of further investigation.
He took specimens to work for identification, expecting someone to be able to identify the plants.[10][11] His specimens were identified by Wyn Jones, a botanist with National Parks and Jan Allen from the Botanical Gardens. After the identification was made, National Parks then went under a veil of secrecy, with the discoverers not learning the full magnitude of their discovery for about six months. National Parks came close to damaging the stand when a helicopter being used to collect cones inadvertently pruned one of the pines with its rotor.[12] The species was subsequently named after David Noble.[13][14]
The first illustrations of the Wollemi Pine were drawn by David Mackay, a botanical artist and scientific illustrator who was working at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney when the species was discovered.[15]
Further study would be needed to establish its relationship to other conifers. The initial suspicion was that it had certain characteristics of the 200-million-year-old family Araucariaceae, but was not similar to any living species in the family. Comparison with living and fossilised Araucariaceae proved that it was a member of that family, and it has been placed into a new genus, beside the genera Agathis and Araucaria.
Fewer than 60 adult trees are known to be growing wild, in four localities not far apart. It is very difficult to count individuals, as most trees are multistemmed and may have a connected root system.
Conservation
Threats
In November 2005, wild-growing trees were found to be infected with
The grove of Wollemia trees was endangered by fire during the 2019–2020 Australian bushfire season.[20] They were saved by specialist firefighters from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, supported by the Rural Fire Service who installed an irrigation system as well as dropping retardant.[10][20][21][22][23]
Global involvement in conservation
"Home gardeners become accidental citizen scientists for Wollemi Pine" was the headline of a 2023 news article reporting results of an unusual conservation strategy underway since 2005.[24] Ten years after safeguarding of rooted branch cuttings had been initiated in botanic gardens around the world, commercial growers were authorized to receive surplus cuttings to propagate for sales to their own customers. This unusual management decision for an endangered plant owed to the "huge public interest in this rare tree" and as an experiment to test whether commercial availability would serve "to protect wild populations from illegal collecting."[24]
Results were tallied from more than 1,500 people from 31 countries who were growing the cuttings and responded to an online survey created by two plant scientists in Australia.[25] Results indicated that the species grows well where climate is temperate and there is adequate year-round rainfall. Loamy soils with good drainage proved to be ideal. The team concluded, "This study demonstrates that it is feasible to establish Wollemi pines in many parts of the world and under different climates and cultural regimes, which can help conserve this species in the face of climate change and other threats."[25]
Cultivation and uses
A propagation programme made Wollemi pine specimens available to botanical gardens, first in Australia in 2006 and subsequently throughout the world. It may prove to be a valuable tree for ornament, either planted in open ground or for tubs and planters. In Australia, potted native Wollemi pines have been promoted as a Christmas tree.
The
Examples of the species can be viewed at
Care
The Wollemi pine is extremely hardy and versatile in cultivation. Despite it being an endangered species, it is easy to grow and requires relatively low maintenance. It will adapt to a diverse range of climatic zones, thriving in full sun to semi shaded outdoor positions. They can be maintained in a pot almost indefinitely, and make good container plants for patios, verandas, and courtyards. Because it tolerates air conditioning, it can also be used as an indoor decorative plant. These are basic need to knows for care: they require well-drained soil and protection from frost.[30]
Pruning
When pruning the Wollemi pine, use sterile secateurs at any time of year to retain its compact form. It can be pruned heavily with up to two thirds of the plant size removed. Pruning heavily can be done on the apical growth and the branches. The best time to prune is during the winter months.
Growth rate
The Wollemi pine has very controlled growth, especially if it is kept in a pot. It may take up to 25 years to reach 20 feet in height.
Phylogeny
The genus Wollemia shares morphological characteristics with the genera Araucaria and Agathis. Wollemia and Araucaria both have closely crowded sessile and amphistomatic (producing stomata on both sides of the leaf) leaves, and aristate bract scales, while Wollemia and Agathis both have fully fused bracts, ovuliferous scales, and winged seeds.[31] Scrutiny of the fossil record likewise does not clarify Wollemia's relationship to Araucaria or Agathis, since the former has similarly disparate leaf characters in its adult and juvenile forms, and the latter has similar cone characters.[32] Further, the recent description of several extinct genera within the Araucariaceae points to complex relationships within the family and a significant loss of diversity since the Cretaceous.[33][34] An early study of the rbcL gene sequence places Wollemia in the basal position of the Araucariaceae and as the sister group to Agathis and Araucaria.[35] In contrast, another study of the rbcL sequence shows that Wollemia is the sister group to Agathis, and Araucaria is basal.[36] The different outgroup selection and genes used in previous studies are the reasons behind the discrepancy over the groupings of the three genera.[37] Later genetic studies corroborate Wollemia's placement in the Araucariaceae as sister to Agathis based on data from the 28s rRNA gene,[38] a combination of rbcL and matK genes,[39] and a comprehensive study encompassing nuclear ribosomal 18S and 26S rRNA, chloroplast 16S rRNA, rbcL, matK and rps4, and mitochondrial coxl and atp1 genes.[37]
Below is the
Potential fossil record
There are no fossils that can be assigned definitively to Wollemia. Araucarioides leaves possibly representing Wollemia or a close relative have been reported from the Early Eocene of Tasmania. Some authors have suggested that the fossil pollen genus Dilwynites, known from the Late Cretaceous-Pliocene of Australia, New Zealand, Patagonia and Antarctica is assignable to Wollemia, however, the pollen of Wollemia is highly variable, and its similarity to Dilwynites has been questioned, with Dilwynites also closely resembling the pollen of some species of Agathis. It is therefore possible that Dilwynites pollen represents that of other araucarian conifers as well as possibly also Wollemia.[7]
See also
- Gasteranthus extinctus, a species of plant believed to have gone extinct until it was rediscovered in 2022
References
This article incorporates text from the
- ^ . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ "Wollemia nobilis: The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan – April". Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. Archived from the original on 2015-10-19. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
- ^ "Wollemi pine". ABC Pronounce. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 19 October 2005. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f Wollemia nobilis (Wollemi Pine) Recovery Plan (PDF) (Report). New South Wales Department of Environment and Conservation. Archived from the original on 2018-12-14. Retrieved 2018-12-14.
- ^ "Pacific Horticulture | Humboldt Botanical Gardens". Pacific Horticulture. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
- ^ Brack, Cris (15 June 2018). "Wollemi pines are dinosaur trees". The Conversation.
- ^ S2CID 254332797.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-876-48548-1.[page needed]
- ^ a b "wollemi pine/facts & figures". Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. April 2003. Archived from the original on 2004-10-13. Retrieved 2011-08-02 – via ARKive.
- ^ a b Wamsley, Laurel (2020-01-16). "Aussie Firefighters Save World's Only Groves Of Prehistoric Wollemi Pines". NPR News. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
- ^ The discovery of the specimen's true identity, based upon extensive knowledge of the literature on fossil remains, parallels that of the recognition of the Queensland lung fish by Gerard Krefft in January 1870.
- ^
"The Wollemi Pine — a very rare discovery". Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Archived from the originalon 2005-03-23. Retrieved 2007-02-08.
- ^ Australian National Botanic Gardens, Parks Australia. "Wollemia nobilis – Growing Native Plants". www.anbg.gov.au. Retrieved 2022-09-17.
Derivation of the name: Wollemia nobilis [...] nobilis – The species epithet is a tribute to David Noble who discovered the first stand of Wollemi Pines on an abseiling trip in 1994.
- ^ Barba, Eduardo (2022-09-17). "David Noble y 'Wollemia nobilis': la sorpresa de encontrar un árbol desconocido para la ciencia". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-09-17.
En honor de David Noble se le dedicó el epíteto de la especie, nobilis.
- ^ "David Mackay". Focus. New England. 2009-02-08. Archived from the original on 2017-12-22. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
- ^ The genome of the Wollemi pine, a critically endangered “living fossil” unchanged since the Cretaceous, reveals extensive ancient transposon activity
- ^ Mystery of 'living fossil' tree frozen in time for 66 million years finally solved
- ^
Peakall, Rob; Ebert, Daniel; Scott, Leon J.; Meagher, Patricia F.; Offord, Cathy A. (2003). "Comparative genetic study confirms exceptionally low genetic variation in the ancient and endangered relictual conifer, Wollemia nobilis (Araucariaceae)". Molecular Ecology. 12 (9): 2331–2343. S2CID 35255532.
- ^ a b
Salleh, Anna (4 November 2005). "Wollemi pine infected by fungus". abc.net.au. Science articles. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
"Fungus threatens wild Wollemi pines". abc.net.au. News. 4 November 2005. - ^ a b Hannam, Peter (15 January 2020). "Incredible, secret firefighting mission saves famous 'dinosaur trees'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ Morton, Adam (15 January 2020). "Firefighters save endangered Wollemi pines from NSW bushfires". The Guardian. Dinosaur trees (Australia ed.).
- ^
Mcguirk, Rod (2020-01-16). "Australia firefighters save world's only rare dinosaur trees". The San Francisco Chronicle. AP. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
- ^ "Hemmelig aksjon reddet forhistorisk skog fra brannene i Australia" [Secret action saves prehistoric forest from the fires in Australia] (in Norwegian). NTB. 2020-01-16. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
- ^ a b Wild, Andrea (28 July 2023). "Home gardeners become accidental citizen scientists for Wollemi Pine". Phys.org.
- ^ .
- ^ "Tips for treading lightly this festive season". ACFOnline.org.au. Australian Conservation Foundation. 2010-12-01. Archived from the original on 2011-09-26. Retrieved 2010-12-19.
- ^ "Jurassic tree survives big chill in trust garden". BBC. 2010-11-01. Retrieved 2010-01-13.
- ^
"Wollemi Pine research – fungal associations & pathogens". Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Archived from the originalon 2005-05-01. Retrieved 2007-02-08.
- ^
"How to grow your Wollemi pine". Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
- ^ "Taking care of a Wollemi pine". Kernock Park Plants Ltd. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ Jones, W.G.; Hill, K.D.; Allen, J.M. (1995). "Wollemia nobilis, a new living Australian genus and species in the Araucariaceae". Telopea. 6 (2–3): 173–176. .
- ^
Chambers, T. Carrick; Drinnan, Andrew N.; McLoughlin, Stephen (January 1998). "Some morphological features of Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis: Araucariaceae) and their comparison to Cretaceous plant fossils". International Journal of Plant Sciences. 159 (1): 160–171. S2CID 84425685.
- ^
Cantrill, David J.; Raine, J. Ian (November 2006). "Wairarapaia mildenhallii gen. et sp. nov., a new Araucarian cone related to Wollemia from the Cretaceous (Albian‐Cenomanian) of New Zealand". International Journal of Plant Sciences. 167 (6): 1259–1269. S2CID 85365035.
- ^
Dettmann, Mary E.; Clifford, H. Trevor; Peters, Mark (2012). "Emwadea microcarpa gen. et sp. nov. – anatomically preserved araucarian seed cones from the Winton Formation (late Albian), western Queensland, Australia". Alcheringa. 36 (2): 217–237. S2CID 129171237.
- ^
Setoguchi, Hiroaki; Osawa, Takeshi Asakawa; Pintaud, Jean-Christophe; Jaffré, Tanguy; Veillon, Jean-Marie (November 1998). "Phylogenetic relationships within Araucariaceae based on rbcL gene sequences". American Journal of Botany. 85 (11): 1507–1516. PMID 21680310.
- doi:10.7751/telopea19971020. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2014-03-04.
- ^ a b Liu, Nian; Zhu, Yong; Wei, Zongxian; Chen, Jie; Wang, Qingbiao; Jian, Shuguang; Zhou, Dangwei; Shi, Jing; Yang, Yong; Zhong, Yang (2009). "Phylogenetic relationships and divergence times of the family Araucariaceae based on the DNA sequences of eight genes". Chinese Science Bulletin. 54 (15): 2648–2655. .
- ^
Stefanović, Saša; Jager, Muriel; Deutsch, Jean; Broutin, Jean; Masselot, Monique (May 1998). "Phylogenetic relationships of conifers inferred from partial 28S rRNA gene sequences". American Journal of Botany. 85 (5): 688. PMID 21684951.
- ^
Quinn, C.J.; Price, R.A.; Gadek, P.A. (2002). "Familial concepts and relationships in the conifer, based on rbcL and matK sequence comparisons". Kew Bulletin. 57 (3): 513–531. S2CID 83816639.
External links
- Wollemia nobilis media from ARKive
- Thomas, P. (2011). "Wollemia nobilis". . Retrieved 12 November 2021. Listed as Critically Endangered (CR D v2.3)
- "The Wollemi Pine – a very rare discovery". Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Archived from the originalon 2005-03-23. Retrieved 2007-02-08. (includes facts and figures, ecology, biology)
- Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew's web page about the "Wollemi pine"
- WollemiPine.com
- Wollemia nobilis at the Gymnosperm Database
- BBC News item 10 May 2005
- BBC News – 'Dinosaur trees' heavily guarded – 02/12/06
- ABC-TV Gardening Fact Sheet
- ABC-TV Science visits Wollemi Pines in the wild 19 May 2005
- Wollemia nobilis (Wollemi Pine) Recovery Plan, January 2007
- Warren, Matthew (16 April 2007). "Biologist takes axe to the 'myth' of Wollemi". The Australian. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
- The Wollemi Pine Transcript of interview on The Science Show (April 2007) with Tim Entwisle, then director of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney.
- Images and information about the Wollemi Pine in Westonbirt Arboretum
- Wollemi Pine available for first time in North America from National Geographic.