The Wollemi Pine: The Incredible Discovery of a Living Fossil from the Age of the Dinosaurs (New Edition)

Now in a new format, this is a brilliant debut by a wonderful popular science writer. James Woodford, the Sydney Morning Herald‘s award-winning science writer, has written an enthralling detective story about evolution and natural history, the freak survival of a species that offers a window into an ecosystem 100 million years old.   The Wollemi Pine is the story of this discovery, and of the tree that became an overnight celebrity. Woodford’s fascinating account is a detective story, a scientific mystery, and a timely reminder of the importance of maintaining biological diversity on our planet.Discovery of the Wollemi pine has revealed new sources of anti-cancer chemicals, and other micro-organisms with important medical applications.

In mid-1994 a National Parks & Wildlife ranger abseiling in the Wollemi Wilderness outside Sydney, came upon an extraordinary sight: a canyon filled with massive pines. These trees towered above the surrounding foliage, with fern-like leaves and peculiar lumpy bark.

What he accidentally discovered that day has become one of the century’s most important botanical finds. The ancient pines were thought to have become extinct millions of years ago. The Director of Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens described the discovery as ‘the equivalent of finding a small dinosaur still alive on Earth’.