This species was named when it started to become extinct.

of rodamnia zombie The rainforest tree was identified in 2020, and scientists named it the “living dead” after a fungal disease killed its ability to grow and reproduce in the wild.

That’s because the disease, known as myrtle rust, infects tree shoots, preventing them from maturing and stopping normal development.

Field surveys revealed that some of the trees had already died, and the remaining wild populations were not producing flowers or fruit.

The disease was first discovered in Australia from overseas in 2010 and has since spread widely in native forests.

University of Queensland botanist Professor Rod Fensham said it was a race against time.

“If you can’t grow and reproduce, you’re really doomed,” he says.

Found in the rainforests of the Barnet region of Queensland, this small to medium-sized tree is known for its large dark green leaves, hairy bark, and hairy white flowers.

“It was in pretty bad shape throughout its range,” Professor Fensham said.

“If you can’t conserve energy, you’ll eventually give up the ghost.

“If we can’t produce seeds, there’s no hope for the next generation.”

He said that while many native plants were resistant to myrtle rust, a small number of plants were found to be highly susceptible.

evolution practice

rodamnia zombie It is one of 17 species classified as endangered due to the disease.

Professor Fensham said without intervention these species could disappear within decades.

“It’s profound that something that took millions of years to evolve disappears in a single generation,” he says.

“It stinks. But it’s also unusual to witness it.”

Professor Fensham said the only real way to survive was to resist.

some next of kin rodamnia zombie Because it shows natural resistance to myrtle rust, scientists hope that the resistant bacteria may be “lurking somewhere in the genome.”

Professor Fensham said the problem was that this evolutionary process could not occur in the wild because trees no longer produced seeds.

Instead, the scientists partnered with specialized nurseries to grow clean cuttings in protected conditions.

The goal is to protect the plants from disease until they flower and set seed, so that the next generation can be tested for resistance.

“This is a rare opportunity to observe evolution in real time,” Professor Fensham said.

fight against extinction

On Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Barun Landcare is one of the organizations supporting species survival.

Horticulturist Alexandra Hayes-Hatten and conservation trainee Milo Wakeman-Bateman collect cuttings from wild populations and propagate them under controlled conditions.

At the nursery, shoots are cut, treated with rooting hormones and monitored for signs of infection.

“It’s a fine line to play,” Hayes Hatten said.

“But there are some companies that are doing pretty well.”

For her, the job is both confronting and motivating.

“It’s very scary to learn about something that could become extinct in the blink of an eye,” she says.

“But we have the people and we have the resources, so maybe we should step up and do something.”

Childcare professionals from Lismore and Townsville also joined the rescue efforts.

Once researchers identify resistant individuals, their long-term hope is to return them to the forests where the species once lived.

“It’s ambitious,” Professor Fensham said.

“But these trees need time and space, without constant exposure to myrtle rust, to express their resistance.”

He was left alone and said: rodamnia zombie They will remain what scientists have named them: the living dead.