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Briggs BG. 2000. What is significant - The Wollemi pine or the southern rushes? ANNALS OF THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 87(1):72-80. Address: Briggs BG, Royal Bot Gardens, Mrs Macquaries Rd, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia. Royal Bot Gardens, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.
The discovery in 1994 of wollemia nobilis, a new conifer genus and species of Araucariaceae, attracted media and public attention that was probably unprecedented for a botanical discovery. If a plant species may be called charismatic, it is this one: tall, handsome, rare, of a lineage dating from the Jurassic, surviving undiscovered in a mountain gorge. It was front-page news around the world and soon became one of Australia's most publicized species. Scientists shared the enthusiasm, offering research collaboration to investigate its many aspects. Wollemia has contributed to understanding of structures in fossil Araucariaceae and conifer-mycorrhizal associations; its survival has added to the picture of long-term regional floristic change. After an extended period of small population size it shows no detectable inter-plant genetic diversity-relevant to the management of rare plant species. Its discovery helped us explain and emphasize to the community the value and nature of biological research and the need for habitat conservation. At the opposite end of the charisma scale are the southern rushes, Australia's relatively inconspicuous Restionaceae and their allies (Centrolepidaceae. Ecdeiocoleaceae, Anarthriaceae). Despite their links with other southern continents and close relationship to the Poaceae, these had been greatly neglected for over 100 yeats and were largely misclassified generically. Study and fieldwork in recent decades have revealed 61 formerly undescribed species, nearly 40% of the total now distinguished in these families for Australia. DNA sequencing of plastid genes gave surprising results, with evidence that two new plant families should be recognized. New findings are contributing to better understanding of the ancestry of related families and Southern Hemisphere floras. Distinguishing the new rare species allows focus on their conservation needs. Many new species are still being recognized in Australia's flora, among flowering plants and conifers as well as other groups. Wollemia and the southern rushes exemplify the significance of these new finds and newly discovered understanding of relationships. In each case the significance of the discoveries is realized only in the contest of the knowledge of organisms and their evolution that comes from research in many fields.
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