A pine tree that grew during the days of the dinosaurs and was long thought extinct is now growing in Ireland, writes Claire O'Connell
A prehistoric conifer that was once thought extinct has become the latest must-have of the botanical world. Late last month hundreds of plant enthusiasts gathered in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens for the first chance to bid for live specimens of the Wollemi Pine, a 200-million-year old "pinosaur" species that until recently had been seen only in the fossil record.
Since living trees were discovered in the 1990s, the species has been the subject of a massive conservation drive that has included cultivating specimens for the auction. Bidders from Australia, Europe, North America and Asia snapped up 292 first-generation Wollemi Pines derived from parent plants growing at a secret location in the wild.
The 148 lots of six-year-old trees sold for AU$1.059 million (€664,000), which was more than twice the pre-sale estimate, according to Sotheby's spokeswoman Kate Dezarnaulds.
Single trees fetched up to AU$8,500 (€5,300) in a spirited and congenial atmosphere, she says, where successful bids often brought applause from the 600 attendees.
One buyer paid almost AU$150,000 (€94,000) for a collection of trees from all 15 parents, and a AU$6,850 (€4,295) bid from Ireland secured a duo of plants grown from parents called Hercules and The Linnaeus.
Royalties from the auction will be used to safeguard the continued survival of the Wollemi Pine and other endangered species. "We were delighted to see so many people there with a passion for conservation," says Dezarnaulds, noting that some buyers donated trees to schools, local councils or stately homes.
The Wollemi Pine, which existed at the time of the dinosaurs, once covered large swathes of Gondwanaland, the ancient super-continent that gave rise to modern Australia. But scientists presumed the species had died out two million years ago.
Then in 1994, bushwalker David Noble noticed a group of odd-looking trees while abseiling down a gorge at Wollemi National Park in Sydney's Blue Mountains. Their peculiar branching structure and bubbly bark prompted him to gather samples.
Botanists quickly confirmed that Noble had stumbled upon a prehistoric relative of the Monkey Puzzle tree, which they named Wollemia nobilis, and likened the discovery to finding a living dinosaur.
To minimise the risk of humans carrying weeds or plant diseases into the region, conservationists kept the exact location of the approximately 100 mature trees a secret.
One of the few scientists to have visited the site is Australian horticultural researcher Patricia Meagher from Sydney's Mt Annan Botanic Garden. As a member of the Wollemi Pine Recovery Team she has conducted research into the tree's life cycle.
Meagher's work on seed germination has been encouraging. "They definitely produce viable seeds and vigorous seedlings, so that's certainly not an impediment to their survival," she says.
Individual Wollemi Pines can live for up to 1,000 years, which is the estimated age of 38-metre high "King Billy" in the wild. "We haven't looked long enough to get an idea of the cycle," says Meagher. "But we know that unlike other members of the Monkey Puzzle family, Wollemi Pines are not rigid in their tree architecture or their cone production."
As well as their unusually "fast and loose" growth habits, Meagher notes a remarkable lack of genetic variation between individual plants. This indicates they have come through a genetic bottleneck and have survived well to date, she says. "But now there's a fear of the new things we are likely to give them."
To spread the risk, researchers have sent cultivated Wollemi Pines to botanic gardens around the world, including the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, which received 30 trees.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern planted one at the Turner Glasshouse in September, which is now thriving in its protective cage. The other trees will be planted out around the country to test their growth under various conditions, according to Dr Peter Wyse Jackson, Director of the Gardens.
He says the Wollemi Pine is a flagship species for conserving biodiversity. "It raises public awareness of the threats faced by tens of thousands of other species which aren't as prominent. Here in Glasnevin we have around 400 species which are rare or endangered in the wild."
Wollemi Pines will go on general sale next year.