Conservation

Wollemi pine, Wollemia nobilis, an extremely rare Australian species will be planted in Japan in an effort to broaden its range as a hedge against extinction. The tree, known only from the fossil record until 1994, when David Noble discovered living stands in a remote national park near Sydney, will go on sale in Japan next spring. About 500,000 seedlings will be sold to Japanese gardeners. Proceeds from the sale will go to conservation of the native stands in Australia.

Pines are revered in Japan as symbols of long life. Australian conservationists expect Wollemi pine to be extremely popular in Japan.

Wollemi pine should become available as an ornamental tree in other parts of the world, including North America, in 2006. Availability at first will be limited. Wollemi pine is probably hardy to USDA Zone 7 and above, so it is suitable for cultivation in the southern US.

See earlier story.

A California grass not seen since 1912 has been found on Catalina Island off the coast of northern California. Catalina grass, Dissanthelium californicum, was found in a narrow canyon by Jenny McCune, a plant ecologist for the Catalina Conservancy. Grazing animals and invasive plants were thought to have eliminated the only populations of the grass, but recent fires in the canyon revealed a small stand.  This is the second 'extinct' plant rediscovery in California in recent months. Although they may not get as much attention as warm fuzzy animals like the ivory-billed woodpecker, locating these rare plants is critical to protecting their habitat. A drawing of the plant is here.