Prehistoric plant in Shoreline

 

This six foot tall plant has a central woody stem with fern-like branches. The fossil record for it dates back 200 million years. Photo by Doug Cerretti

The Wollemia tree was only known through fossil records that date back 200 million years ago. 

However in 1994, the Australian species Wollemia nobilis was discovered in a temperate rainforest wilderness area of the Wollemi National Park, New South Wales, eastern Australia.

A close up of one of the fronds, which have long slender leaves coming from each side of a central stem. Dinosaurs would have enjoyed munching on these. Photo by Doug Cerretti.

It is classified as critically endangered (CR) on the IUCN's Red List, and is legally protected in Australia. 

Shoreline resident, Doug Cerretti says, "Several years ago the National Geographic sold Wollemi nobilis to celebrate its discovery and to aid in its propagation which is where we obtained it."