Which conifer, rediscovered alive in 1994, is known as a living fossil?

The Wollemi pine is the conifer rediscovered alive in 1994 and widely known as a living fossil.

Wollemia nobilis was found by park ranger David Noble in a remote canyon in Wollemi National Park, New South Wales, Australia. Before that discovery, the genus was known only from fossils, including specimens dating back tens of millions of years. The living population is extremely small and is protected at a secret location.

Despite its common name, the Wollemi pine is not a true pine in the genus Pinus. It belongs to the Araucariaceae family, which also includes araucarias and the monkey puzzle tree. Its distinctive bubbly-looking bark and unusual foliage helped scientists recognize it as a remarkable plant.

Conservation programs have propagated the species in nurseries and botanical gardens, reducing reliance on the wild population. “Living fossil” does not mean the tree is unchanged through geological time; it means a living organism closely resembles ancient fossil relatives or represents a lineage known from the fossil record.