Surprise discovery of ancient plant population, but its location remains a secret | ABC NEWS

Added: 2026-05-07

[00:00:00]At a nursery near Hobart, an ancient and rare plant is being propagated. It's found nowhere else in the world. Can't produce any seed. It's difficult to replicate in horticulture. The nursery is one of several that has a permit to keep and propagate King's Lomatia to create insurance populations. And so collectively you can you can safeguard that species by just having it around in other nurseries. And if you if something happens to it, you know, it can be brought back. Plant biologist Professor Greg Jordan has previously found fossilized King's Lomatia dating back 43,000 years. The species can't reproduce sexually because it has an extra chromosome. King's Lomatia can actually live more or less forever if it's undisturbed by growing up, by falling over, and then the branches grow roots out of the bottom of where it falls over. Until recently, there was only one known population of King's Lomatia, which was discovered by Jenny King in 1934.

[00:01:02]But earlier this year, a second stand was found in Tasmania's southwest. I did always feel that there might be something else out there someone just looked hard enough. Having said that, you'd have to look pretty hard. The location of the newly discovered wild population and the original stand are being kept secret. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment says this is to protect the plant from being damaged by visitors. Yes, I think it's a very really exciting find. And and really you know, a good moment for all of us to reflect on how good it is not to go there and just know that we have it. Ronnie Fletcher, ABC News.