This rare tree is a Jurassic survivor
The Wollemi pine, a conifer species belonging to the 200 million year-old Araucariaceae family, was thought to have vanished from the planet—until a chance discovery in 1994 rewrote botanical history.
Since then, this prehistoric survivor has been at the center of one of the world’s most intense conservation efforts. Its wild population, numbering just a handful of trees, is strictly monitored, with measures in place to protect it from poaching, disease and environmental threats. Even those permitted to visit the site must undergo decontamination procedures.
It really has a unique look, comparing it to modern pines. It looks prehistoric.
