Sunday, February 18, 2024

I love stuff like this

"Dinosaur Evergreens Thought Extinct for 2Mil Years Discovered by Park Ranger–the Grove is the ‘Find of the Century’".

Btw, will be offline until Tuesday evening.

12 comments:

rinardman said...

...it has a covering of bark reminiscent of Coco-puffs.

In appearance...or taste? Or both?

And if both, is that why Australian botanists are treating the specimens as a top-secret national treasure?

Paco said...

That would explain why the botanists are transporting gallons of milk out there.

JeffS said...

Fascinating! However ....

...It’s possible such a visitor already visited the original grove, either by accident or design, because a parasitical tree disease has been detected among the original residents.

Might be that the "visitor" was a bird, or some land animal. But that's boffins for you, always assuming human beings are the problem. If a problem even existed in the first place.

RebeccaH said...

I want some of those seeds. If it's as slow-growing as they say, it'll grow in a big patio pot, and it would look great on my porch (of course I'd have to buy a grow light to keep it healthy during the winter).

Yes, I'm a sucker for exotic plants, sue me.

tom said...

The visitor could be an insect, pine borer beetle is decimating forests in Colorado.

Gregoryno6 said...

Now, if we could just stumble across the hidden valley where the last of our megafauna still thrive!

Mick said...

Hey Rebecca, I grew up close to the Wollemi Park where the trees were discovered and used to go on bush walks through that area. I am sure seeds used to be easily available but after having a look around the interwebs I could only find them in England of all places. Maybe it's a seasonal thing. I'll keep an eye out and if I see some I'll get them to you somehow.

RebeccaH said...

Thank you, Mick. I actually did find companies that sell them (yes, none in the US, but Amazon does offer them). They are, however, very expensive and I'm rethinking my plan. But your offer is very kind.

Mick said...

Yes I saw that. Originally after the discovery and the transplanting of seedlings to greenhouses where the plants were guarded like the Crown jewels, they found out these things grow like weeds.
There was program to distribute the seeds far and wide to ensure their survival.
It seems to have turned into a money spinner now. I'll still keep an eye out, you never know.

bruce said...

Mick, were you by any chance a member of:
https://www.cbcnsw.org.au/

because I know a couple of associates and their history.

Mick said...

Nothing that organised Bruce. I grew up in western Sydney and used to bushwalk with a group of ex-scouts. In our early teens we would head out for about a week in the Blue Mountains during the school holidays. There is good train access around the Katoomba area. Later when we could drive we could get to the other side of Bells Line of Road and the Putty Road and into Wollemi.
I remember when I was about14 coming home after 4 or 5 days away and Mum saying "oh good you are back, the lawn needs mowing".
Things were different back then.

bruce said...

Haha, yes different times. Putty Rd, yes I guessed that would be your starting point into Wollemi. I've lived in the mid-Blue Mountains for 25 yrs and mostly just explore my local area.

These days the bush is full of runners, long distance ones or just Parkrun. I'd rather take it slowly myself, especially when meeting snakes, who don't like to be surprised! They're fine if you keep yr distance.