Wollemia

Wollemia nobilis is a species of coniferous tree in the family Araucariaceae. It is the single known species in the monotypic genus Wollemia. The species represents one of only three living genera in the family, alongside Araucaria and Agathis (being more closely related to the latter), which was discovered in 1994 in a temperate rainforest wilderness area of the Wollemi National Park in New South Wales. It was growing in a remote series of narrow, steep-sided, sandstone gorges 150 km (93 mi) north-west of Sydney. The genus is named after the National Park. The Wollemi pine is classified as critically endangered (CR) on the IUCN's Red List, and is legally protected in Australia. After it was discovered that the trees could be successfully cloned, new specimens were planted widely around the world in regions with mild temperate climates. A Recovery Plan was drawn up in 2007, outlining strategies for the management of this fragile population. The overall objective was to ensure that the species remains viable in the long term. Australian prime ministers and foreign affairs ministers have presented Wollemi pines to various dignitaries around the world. Although often described as a "living fossil", there are no unambiguous fossils of Wollemia and potential fossil records of it have been considered uncertain.