The sole surviving wild specimen of this plant clings precariously to a steep rock face on Robinson Crusoe Island. Scientists have initiated a rescue mission to collect seeds and prevent the unique species from vanishing forever.
Dendroseris neriifolia Photo: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Scientists have embarked on a critical race against time, desperately trying to rescue one of the rarest plants, the Chilean dandelion tree (Dendroseris neriifolia), from complete extinction. Researchers are collecting seeds from the single surviving wild specimen, which has literally anchored its roots into the sheer cliff of Robinson Crusoe Island, part of the Juan Fernández Archipelago off the coast of Chile.
Futurism reports on the unprecedented rescue operation by botanists, referencing the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
“Plant Galapagos” and the Species’ Value
The Dendroseris neriifolia, also known as the oleander-leaved dendroseris, 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, as isolation has fostered a unique flora found nowhere else on Earth.
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 prime example of “island gigantism” – an evolutionary process where small herbaceous plants, upon arriving on an island without competitors, evolve over millennia into robust trees.
Studying such endemic species provides geneticists with invaluable insights into rapid adaptation mechanisms, which can be applied to breeding new agricultural crops resilient to climate change.
Why the Tree is Facing 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 devoured the young shoots of these unique trees down to the roots.
This is a classic ecological catastrophe; similarly introduced herbivores have decimated entire ecosystems on the actual Galapagos Islands, St. Helena, and in Australia, where native flora lacked thorns or toxins to defend against such “visitors.”
Furthermore, aggressive weeds and shrubs (notably introduced blackberries) have choked out the native plants. Today, the tree is forced to “cling” to inaccessible rocky ledges, but global warming poses a threat of its complete destruction.
Failed Attempts and the Last Hope
By 1980, after a sharp 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 primary issue lies in genetic depletion and the extreme vulnerability of seedlings to the slightest changes in temperature or pests.
During the most recent operation, using a giant net, ecologists managed to collect 29 seeds. X-ray analysis revealed that 25 of them are potentially viable. Seven young saplings have already been successfully rooted.
There is no room for error, as apart from the tree on the cliff, only one other adult artificially grown specimen exists globally at the VerdeNativo botanical garden in Chile.
“This is a race against time. This international collaboration to support the last surviving individual could prevent the extinction of a species that represents a unique lineage with its own natural history,” emphasizes Diego Pennenkamp, a scientist at the botanical garden.
In related news, scientists have discovered a new method for predicting volcanic eruptions. Trees have been observed to suddenly “green up” intensely, which could signal danger.
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