Wollemi Pine

Wollemi Pine Facts

• For the moment, the distinctive term of Wollemi Pine serves as the common name for a truly remarkable variety of coniferous tree. Meanwhile, it also bears the scientific name of Wollemia nobilis. By either name, though, this true wonder of Nature remains a fabulous species.
• Currently, this remarkable tree also constitutes the only recognized member of its genus. That holds true due to a highly lamentable situation. That’s due to the fact that its only established closely related species presently remain known only through uncovered fossil records.
• Remarkably, as so quite often happens to be the case, the discovery of this incredible species of flora occurred entirely accidentally. That’s because, in the year 1994, a hiker and botanist, named David Noble, along with two others, discovered the supposedly extinct flora.
• At that point in time, the intrepid trio stumbled upon the extremely unique trees while exploring canyons in its region of the world. The official identification of the species occurred later, of course. This happened subsequent to detailed study of several samples he took.
• The indisputabaly remarkable Wollemi Pine also currently appears on the IUCN published Red List of Threatened Species. There, it sadly holds the understandable status of Critically Endangered. This status occurs due to its scant numbers and extremely vulnerable habitat.
• Most unfortunately, the incredible find continues to remain highly vulnerable. This presently remains especially true due to the ongoing effects of climate change. Thankfully, during the devastating wildfires in the region in 2019-2020, valiant efforts managed to preserve it.

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Wollemi Pine Physical Description

For wholly understandable reasons, the stunning Wollemi Pine never fails to captivate and amaze those individuals lucky enough to encounter one of them. This usually occurs due to a combination of factors, though. That’s true since it’s not only visually unique, but also of fairly decent size.

This particular product of eons of evolutionary processes developed in a manner fully deserving of appreciation. Nature created the botanical beauty as an especially fascinating variety of what science calls an evergreen. It’s also extremely noteworthy for several very special natural attributes.

For one, the surpsingly unique species of tree attains some highly respectable physical dimensions. This fascinating species attains a maximum measure height of roughly 131 ft (40 m). However, the great majority of specimens actually average a vertical reach of approximately 82 ft (25 m).

The magnificent Wollemi Pine also posseses numerous other well-known qualities to distinguish it from other types of trees across the globe. The bark of this wonder clearly qualifies as one of these. This aspect of its biology develops with a distinctive knobby texture, along with a deep brown color.

The foliage of this intriguing pine also merits its own level of respect from observers and researchers alike. These distinctive leaves appear as long, flat, and broad. They have the ability to attain as much as 3.1 in (8 cm) in length. These only average 0.08 – 0.2 in (2 – 5 mm) in total width, though.

Yet, still one more portion of the structure of this fabulous flora manages to garner its own share of interest. That’s the reproductive portion of its basic nature. The marvelous plant produces both male and female seed cones, with some of these occasionally reaching 4.7 in (12 cm) in length.

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Phylum: Tracheophytes
• Class: Pinopsida
• Order: Pinales
• Family: Araucariaceae
• Genus: Wollemia
• Species: W. nobilis

Wollemi Pine Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

To date, one unfortunate fact about the Wollemi Pine continues to work against the odds of survival for this awesome wonder of Nature. That’s the fact that the only known area in which the awesome tree appears remains limited to an extremely remote and quite rugged section of the world.

Impressively, this zone of habitation consists of a particularly rugged section of the surface of the earth. More precisely, though, this forms part of what now constitutes the Wollemi National Park. This sits in New South Wales, which forms a part of the continent and country of Australia.

Even within this already extraordinarily limited habitat range, however, this incredible work of Nature only lives in certain specific types of locations. In point of fact, the amazing evergreen appears to dwell only in one astonishingly small section of temperate rainforest within this area.

Though it may be dificult to believe, another factor further complicates things for the tantalizing species of tree even more, though. That pertains to the conditions of its particular habitat. Remarkably, the beautiful evergreen only inhabits a group of several steep, narrow sandstone gorges.

Lamentably, for the moment fewer than 100 known specimens of the mind-boggling Wollemi Pine exist in the wild. Fortunately, however, several active preservation programs currently exist. These constantly monitored efforts have so far succeeded in propagating a number of specimens.

As a result of this concerted and still ongoing effort, hopes for the species continue to remain high. Several botanical gardens around the world now possess scattered individuals of this remarkable tree in their possession. A few very carefully tended small groves also exist in other areas.

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