Scientists said Tuesday that a species of small holly tree that was last seen nearly two centuries ago and was feared extinct has been rediscovered pluckily clinging to life in an urban area in northeastern Brazil. The tree, known as “Ilex sapiiformis,” was found in the city of Igarassu, in Pernambuco state, by an expedition that spent six days combing the region hoping to find it. It is thought to be the only remaining specimen of its kind and the first time it has been found in a modern-day city since a Scottish biologist documented it in 1838.
Scientists say that the discovery in Igarassu, home to some 6 million people, is significant because it shows that trees from threatened ecosystems can survive in urban areas. They add that if the rediscovery of this and other rare trees is triumphant, their populations can be restored in cities to help provide natural resources for urban residents and to protect biodiversity.
The Igarassu holly tree, whose emerald green foliage is similar to holly, grows on the banks of a river in the city. It was spotted by researchers following the trail of tiny white flowers characteristic of the tree, the scientists said in a statement. The research was supported by a grant from the conservation group Re:wild, co-founded by Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio.
During the 19th century, the holly trees were almost completely wiped out in their native woodland habitat as they were cleared for agriculture and to make room for goats. Only 15 holly trees were recorded in the wild at that time. The last one died in 1994 in cultivation.
These holly trees are part of the Araucaria genus, including the extinct Araucaria mirabilis that grew in Patagonia and reached up to 330 feet tall with a diameter of 11 feet. The araucaria trees were believed to be the primary food source for the long-necked sauropod dinosaurs.
Many araucaria tree trunks have been preserved upright in the Cerro Cuadrado petrified forest in Argentina, and their 4.9-inch-diameter seed cones are fossilized, too.
Re:wild is expanding LDF’s previous investments in wildlife and landscape; marine life and oceans; climate change; media, science and technology; and Indigenous rights and the environment in California into a single, powerful force multiplier that brings together communities, influential leaders, nongovernmental organizations, governments, and companies to protect and restore nature at scale and speed.
Until now, the oldest known living tree was a Great Basin bristlecone pine called Methuselah, located on Wheeler Peak in eastern Nevada. It was dated 4,789 years old and is considered the oldest living single organism. Its location is kept secret to prevent vandalism so scientists can continue to study it. However, scientists say the rediscovered holly is expected to surpass Methuselah’s age. Researchers hope to learn more about the Pernambuco holly in the future, including its genetics, how it grows in urban conditions, and how it can be reproduced.
