Wollemia

Wollemia
Mature tree
Scientific classification Edit this 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 coniferous trees in the family Araucariaceae, endemic to Australia. It represents only one of three living genera in the family, alongside Araucaria and Agathis (being more closely related to the latter). The genus has only a single known species, Wollemia nobilis, commonly known as the Wollemi Pine (though it is not a true pine) which was discovered in 1994 in a temperate rainforest wilderness area of the Wollemi National Park in New South Wales. It was growing in a remote series of narrow, steep-sided, sandstone gorges 150 km (93 mi) north-west of Sydney. The genus is named after the National Park.[2]

The Wollemi pine is classified as critically endangered (CR) on the IUCN's Red List,[1] and is legally protected in Australia.[3] After it was discovered that the trees could be successfully cloned, new trees were potted up in the Botanic Gardens of Sydney and Mount Annan and planted as far away as the Humboldt Botanical Garden near Eureka, California.[4]

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.[3] Australian prime ministers and foreign affairs ministers have presented Wollemi pines to various dignitaries around the world.[5]

Although often described as a "living fossil", there are no unambiguous fossils of Wollemia and potential fossil records of it have been considered uncertain.[6]

  1. ^ a b Thomas, P. (2011). "Wollemia nobilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T34926A9898196. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T34926A9898196.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ a b 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.
  4. ^ "Pacific Horticulture | Humboldt Botanical Gardens". Pacific Horticulture. Archived from the original on 2023-07-13. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
  5. ^ Brack, Cris (15 June 2018). "Wollemi pines are dinosaur trees". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Seyfullah-2023 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).