The last wild specimen of this plant precariously clings to the steep rock face on Robinson Crusoe Island. Scientists have launched a rescue mission to collect seeds and prevent the unique species from disappearing forever.
Dendroseris neriifolia Photo by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Scientists have embarked on a true race against time, desperately trying to save one of the rarest plants, the Chilean dandelion tree (Dendroseris neriifolia), from complete extinction. Researchers are collecting seeds from the sole surviving wild specimen, which has literally anchored itself to a sheer cliff on Robinson Crusoe Island, part of the Juan Fernández Archipelago off the coast of Chile.
Futurism reports on this unprecedented botanical rescue operation, citing the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
“Plant Galapagos” and the Species’ Value
The Dendroseris neriifolia, also known as the cabbage tree or tree chicory, is a true botanical marvel. The Juan Fernández Archipelago itself is often referred to as the “Plant Galapagos” by biologists because its isolation has fostered a unique flora found nowhere else in the world.
Although the dendroseris is a large tree, it actually belongs to the Asteraceae family and is a distant relative of the common dandelion or chamomile. It is a striking example of “island gigantism”—an evolutionary process where small herbaceous plants, finding themselves on islands without competitors, evolve over millennia into mighty trees.
Studying such endemic species provides geneticists with invaluable information about rapid adaptation mechanisms, which can be applied to breeding new agricultural crops resilient to climate change.
Why the Tree is on the Brink of Extinction
The species has been severely impacted by habitat loss and the invasion of alien species. Early explorers introduced goats and rabbits to the archipelago, which virtually decimated the young shoots of these unique trees down to the root.
This is a classic ecological disaster; similarly introduced herbivores have destroyed entire ecosystems on the actual Galapagos Islands, Saint Helena, and in Australia, where local flora lacked thorns or toxins to defend against such “guests.”
Furthermore, aggressive weeds and shrubs (particularly introduced blackberries) have choked out native plants. Today, the tree is forced to “huddle” on inaccessible rocky outcrops, but global warming poses a threat of its complete annihilation.
Failed Attempts and the Last Hope
By the 1980s, after a drastic population decline, only seven wild specimens of this tree remained. Staff at the Juan Fernández Archipelago National Park attempted to restore the species in the 1990s, but these efforts proved futile. Attempts in the early 2000s to reintroduce artificially grown plants into the wild also failed. The main problem lies in genetic exhaustion and the extreme vulnerability of seedlings to even minor changes in temperature or pests.
During the latest operation, ecologists managed to collect 29 seeds using a giant net. X-ray analysis indicated that 25 of them are potentially viable. Seven young saplings have already been successfully rooted.
There is no room for error, as besides the tree on the cliff, only one other adult, artificially grown specimen remains in the world at the VerdeNativo botanical garden in Chile.
“It’s a race against time. This international collaboration to support the last surviving individual could prevent the extinction of a species representing a unique lineage with its own natural history,” emphasizes Diego Pennekamp, a scientist at the botanical garden.
We remind you that scientists have discovered a new way to predict volcanic eruptions. Trees have been observed to suddenly and intensely “green up,” which could be a warning sign of danger.
Comments Sort: New Old Popular Send
Source: tsn.ua