During an expedition into the forest, a specialist unexpectedly discovered a unique tree that is the only surviving specimen on Earth.
The Unique Tree on Earth
In August 1927, Chung Quan Guang, a Chinese botanist, and his research team traveled to Putuo Mountain in Zhejiang Province to collect specimens. Here, they encountered numerous rare plant species. While searching, he stumbled upon a tree that had never been seen before. However, at that time, Chung’s team could not identify what species this tree belonged to.
It wasn’t until 1932 that another botanist, Professor Zheng Wan Jun, classified it as belonging to the genus Carpinus (Hornbeam) of the family Betulaceae (Birch family). Since it was only found on Putuo Mountain, this tree was named Putuo Hornbeam, or Putuo Goose Ear Oak.
After two years of detailed research on this tree, experts decided to name it Putuo Goose Ear Oak because it is the only species found in Putuo Mountain.
The tree that Chung Quan Guang had never seen was discovered on Putuo Mountain. (Photo: Sohu).
In fact, there used to be a large number of these trees distributed across Putuo Mountain, but due to extensive deforestation and land reclamation, their numbers drastically declined. After several decades, only one tree remained, growing in Huetui Temple on the mountain.
At that time, this Putuo Goose Ear Oak was the only one left on Earth. Therefore, it was nicknamed “the only child of the Earth”. Scientists utilized various technical measures and determined that the age of this Putuo Goose Ear Oak is 250 years. The tree stands about 14 meters tall, with a diameter of over 60 cm. Its bark is gray, the leaves are broad and dark green, and the canopy is slightly lopsided. Despite having endured hundreds of years of harsh weather, it remains lush and green.
The difference between male and female flowers of the Putuo Goose Ear Oak. (Photo: The Paper).
A Tree So Rare It’s Protected 24/7
After the discovery of the Putuo Goose Ear Oak was announced, many tourists flocked to Putuo Mountain to see it for themselves. The government, concerned that visitors might harm the valuable tree, specially deployed security personnel to protect it 24/7. However, upon reviewing the situation, botanists believed that this method of protection was not the best for two reasons.
The Putuo Goose Ear Oak has a rather unique appearance. (Photo: Sohu)
- Firstly, the tree’s natural habitat has been destroyed. The forest area on Putuo Mountain has degraded, leading to a loss of biodiversity. Habitat competition and illegal logging are causing rare plants like the Putuo Goose Ear Oak to face extinction.
- Secondly, the reproductive capability of the Putuo Goose Ear Oak is very poor. Particularly, after being pruned, the tree struggles to sprout and regenerate. Additionally, the male and female flowers bloom at different times, with a short overlap in their flowering period. Male flowers typically emerge about 10 days before female flowers, and they only meet for about 9 days, resulting in very low self-pollination. Moreover, the seed quality of the Putuo Goose Ear Oak is also not good. The seeds have thick and hard shells, with a low germination rate. Furthermore, strong winds in the Putuo Mountain area often blow the seeds away. The damaged ecological environment has also reduced insect-pollinated fertilization.
The flowers of the Putuo Goose Ear Oak have poor self-pollination. (Photo: Sohu).
For these reasons, scientists have monitored the tree for many years without finding any seedlings growing beneath the mother tree. It is evident that the natural reproductive ability of the Putuo Goose Ear Oak in its natural environment is extremely difficult. Ultimately, they decided to propagate it.
Breeding the Rare Tree and Sending It to Space
Since 2000, a research team has begun related work. They have continuously applied both sexual and asexual reproduction methods to expand the population of the Putuo Goose Ear Oak. After years of effort, today the number of seedlings of the Putuo Goose Ear Oak has exceeded 40,000. This also marks a new record for the number of propagated seedlings of this species. They are gradually being relocated to other areas for breeding and conservation.
The Putuo Goose Ear Oak is a rare tree that has been sent to space. (Photo: Sohu).
Initially, some Putuo Goose Ear Oaks were planted in several areas in Zhushan, Zhejiang, as part of a greening campaign. They have played a crucial role in enhancing the greenery and beauty of these locations. In April 2020, over 100 seedlings of the Putuo Goose Ear Oak were transferred to Zhengzhou, Henan, China. These seedlings resulted from a research project on remote domestication and peripheral protection by experts between the two provinces.
Moreover, the Tiangong-1 space station, launched in 2011, carried four unique tree species from China. The Putuo Goose Ear Oak was among those taken for experimentation in space propagation.
The number of Putuo Goose Ear Oaks has been propagated to tens of thousands, helping it avoid extinction risks.
Thanks to the collaborative efforts of many stakeholders, the Putuo Goose Ear Oak has now escaped the risk of extinction.
