A Race Against Time: Saving the 'Zombie' Tree in the Hinterland
In the lush rainforests of Queensland, Australia, a unique tree species is fighting for its very existence. Dubbed the 'zombie tree', Rhodamnia zombi, is on the brink of extinction due to a relentless fungal disease known as myrtle rust. This disease has left the tree in a state of 'living death', unable to grow or reproduce.
The race to save this species is on, with a Maleny nursery playing a crucial role. The University of Queensland's botanist, Professor Rod Fensham, emphasizes the urgency of the situation. When the species was first assessed in 2020, it had no name, and since then, a devastating 10% of the trees have perished. The remaining trees are unable to produce flowers or fruit due to the relentless myrtle rust.
Rhodamnia zombi is a small-to-medium-sized rainforest tree native to Queensland's Burnett region. It boasts large, dark green leaves, shaggy bark, and hairy white flowers. The disease, myrtle rust, is a bright yellow fungal pathogen that repeatedly attacks and kills the tree's young shoots, preventing any growth or reproduction. This means that an infected tree will eventually die.
Myrtle rust was first detected in Australia in 2010, and Rhodamnia zombi has been added to a critical list of species potentially facing extinction due to the disease. Professor Fensham warns that without intervention, the 17 species on this Category X list will be extinct within a generation. There is no known resistance to myrtle rust in these species, and no wild populations remain uninfected.
However, there is a glimmer of hope. The wider Rhodamnia genome offers potential solutions. Related species have shown resistance to the disease, providing a basis for a survival strategy. The key is to find clean cuttings in the wild before myrtle rust attacks and propagate them in safe sites.
Specialists in Lismore and Townsville are currently growing seedlings, while a Maleny nursery is also attempting propagation. Professor Fensham expresses optimism, hoping that these efforts will lead to the discovery of resistance in the next generation of Rhodamnia zombi. The ultimate goal is to return resistant trees to their natural habitat, giving them the time and space needed to potentially develop resistance against the disease.
The research on this unique tree species and its fight for survival has been published in Austral Ecology, shedding light on the urgent need for conservation efforts in our natural ecosystems.
