Posted on 03/14/2014 2:58:56 AM PDT by Red in Blue PA
Standing inconspicuously beside a block wall across the street from a glass shop in Cotati is one of the rarest living life forms in the world, an albino chimera coast redwood tree.
Researchers say fewer than 10 of the genetically mutated trees are known to exist.
But if SMART's rail plans proceed, the tree — the largest of its kind — soon will be cut down so commuter trains can safely zoom past.
“This tree is irreplaceable,” said Tom Stapleton, a former Sonoma County arborist who is now based in Amador County and studies the rare mutations. “They need to do something more than just cut it down.”
(Excerpt) Read more at pressdemocrat.com ...
I have lived a long time but try to learn something every day.
This morning I learned that there are albino trees. I was not aware that there could be albino plants.
Skeptic that I am, I wonder if it is true.?
After more closely reading the *.pdf file, it looks like this is a meristem/lab production issue; the cuttings of albinos didn’t make it due to lack of chlorophyll in cells. Looks like it going to be a cone/seed reproduction situation, instead of simple cuttings, after all. I did meristem production with orchids, back in the 80s, and was very successful. This is a different can of worms. Usually, Redwood cuttings are easy.
I’ve propagated partially-albino (variegated) plants, but never plants with full albinism. That poses a whole unique set of problems since most are parasites from a host plant, which feeds them sugars. This is fascinating.
7:52am and the Rush “Update Minute” has this story on WSBA, in York! It’s a “bi-racial tree”! LOL!
With as many private projects stopped dead because of tree hugger concerns, making their beloved train a victim of their own passions is a rueful justice.
SAVE THE TREE!! SAVE THE TREE!!
I found an Elm Beetle-resistant Ulmus Americana years ago on a customer’s property, and took every seedling the tree dropped, grew them on and gave away over 500 saplings (8-10ft) to re-populate the county. They had a natural genetic resistance to the virus. BTW, the “Dutch Elm Disease” was misnamed; the Dutch were helping us find a cure, which didn’t happen. But the disease was wrongly attributed to them. It was a European Elm bark beetle, from Asia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_elm_disease
What’s with the albino worship?? All mutants...It happens
transplant it
They have planted smaller leafed trees like Little Leaf Linden which is also salt resistant I believe.
Thanks for your info.
the left isn’t going crazy since they value union jobs over tree hugging
why they can’t just reroute the track is beyond me
Back in the 50s & early-60s, our Family lived in Arling Hts, IL, and we had American Elms on our 3.5ac property, as well as the canopy covering the streets. All gone now.
In the 70s/80s, the Zelkova serrata (Russian Elm) was introduced to ‘replace’ the American Elm, but it too had its problems, though it is in widespread use today.
The Tilia cordata (Linden) is a nice, durable street/pkg lot tree, but more of an ornamental rather than a massive shade tree, like the Elms. The summer blooms are a Jap Beetle magnet - they can defoliate an entire tree - and a problem unless pre-treated for the beetle infestation.
“Arling Hts, IL”
Arlington Heights, IL
This sounds like something right out of Atlas Shrugged.
It's not a matter of there only being 10 left. It's just a mutation of an existing species. a hundred (or thousand) years from now, there will still probably be 10 of them.
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