Topic: Botany

A newly discovered Australian tree species, Rhodamnia zombi, has been dubbed the "zombie" tree due to its inability to grow and reproduce normally without major intervention. The species is threatened by myrtle rust, a fungal disease that was first detected in Australia in 2010.

The Fungal Threat

Myrtle rust attacks the young shoots of Rhodamnia zombi trees, preventing them from growing or reproducing. Without intervention, infected trees eventually die. The disease has already claimed 10% of the tree population since its discovery in 2020.

"It is a small to medium-sized tree with large dark green leaves, shaggy bark and hairy white flowers growing in rainforests in the Burnett region of Queensland. The bright yellow fungal pathogen attacks and kills off its young shoots over and over again meaning an infected tree can't grow or reproduce and eventually dies."

Conservation Efforts

A team led by Professor Rod Fensham, a botanist at the University of Queensland, hopes to save the species by propagating clean cuttings from wild trees and growing them in safe sites. The goal is to eventually restore the species to its natural ecosystem.

Implications

The discovery of Rhodamnia zombi's vulnerability to myrtle rust highlights the urgent need for conservation action to prevent the extinction of this and other critically endangered species. The findings were published in the journal Austral Ecology.