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Wait! A Tree can't be a fossil!
Wait! A Tree can't be a fossil!
Or can it?
Or can it?
In the collection at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture located on the north side of campus, there are several fossils that bear a remarkable similarity to several living trees growing on campus today. When a trees type retains its appearance through the eons, it may become known as a "living fossil". Although these living trees are not necessarily the same species as their ancient ancestors, they have retained enough of the traits seen in the fossil record to be nearly indistinguishable from their ancient relatives. The UW grounds has several wonderful examples of these living fossils which may be seen on this special tour. They include the Wollemi Pine of Australia, one of the rarest trees in the world, the Pewan of Chili, currently endangered as the snowpack of its native range declines with climate change, the Ginkgo of China, which can be seen in fossils 200 million years old, and the redwoods, the last three remaining species of a lineage which once grew across the world.
Below are images of each of the fossil trees as they appear in modern times and with their ancient counterparts!
Below are images of each of the fossil trees as they appear in modern times and with their ancient counterparts!
A fossilized ginkgo leaf along with a living specimen of the genus. Ginkgo biloba is the last remaining species in its family.
The fossil imprint of a metasequoia, an ancient member of the Sequoia family and related to todays Dawn Redwood, Giant Sequoia, and Coast Redwood (pictured above). These three species are the last members of the Sequoia subfamily.
A fossil of the genus Cunninghamia, along with the modern day Cunninghamia lancelota, the China-fir
An imprint of an ancient Wollemi ancestor. The modern living fossil tree of this family is exceedingly rare and was only scientifically described in the 1990s.
An Auracaria fossil imprint, along with a living member of the family, the Pewan, or Monkey Puzzel Tree. Several species in this lineage still live today, although many have very restricted ranges.
The Bald Cypress of the Southern United States has counterparts in the fossil world as well. A long lived species of wetlands, it is an example of decidious conifers, breaking the conventional evergreen trait of this group of trees.
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