An individual older than the ice age
In a remote, protected valley in Southwest Tasmania lives an organism that began growing when Neanderthals still walked the Earth. Lomatia tasmanica, or King's Lomatia, is a shrub with glossy, fern-like leaves and crimson flowers. Notably, that the entire population of roughly 500-600 stems is a single individual. Genetic testing has confirmed that every plant is a genetically identical clone of the original.
The plant's incredible longevity is a result of its unusual genetics. It is a triploid, possessing three sets of chromosomes instead of the usual two. This genetic anomaly makes sexual reproduction impossible; the plant is sterile and produces no viable seeds or fruit. Its sole method of propagation is vegetative cloning. When a branch falls, it can take root and grow into a new, yet identical, shrub. This process has continued for millennia. The minimum age for the clone was established by radiocarbon dating fossilized leaf fragments, found 8.5 kilometers from the living population, which were identical to the modern plant and dated to at least 43,600 years old.
This sprawling clonal colony covers an area just 1.2 kilometers long, with individual stems living for about 300 years before being replaced by new offshoots from the ancient root system. The plant grows extremely slowly; one study of a stem measuring 6.3 cm in diameter estimated its age at 240 years. This single genetic individual is one of the oldest known living organisms on the planet.
Discovery and precarious survival
This plant was first discovered in 1934 by tin miner and naturalist Charles Denison "Deny" King. He sent samples to the Tasmanian Herbarium in 1965, and in 1967, botanist Winifred Mary Curtis formally described it as a new species, naming it in King's honor.
Today, the single wild population of Lomatia tasmanica is critically endangered. The entire organism exists in a single location within the Southwest National Park, making it exceptionally vulnerable. A single event, like a wildfire or the introduction of disease, could cause its complete extinction. The soil-borne pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi (root rot) has been detected nearby and is a threat to the genetically uniform population.
To safeguard this ancient organism, conservation efforts are paramount. The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens (RTBG) has maintained a propagation program since 1994, attempting to grow cuttings to preserve the genetics. However, the plant is notoriously difficult to cultivate. Due to its rarity and fragility, the specimens at the RTBG are not on public display to protect them from disturbance and potential pathogens. The precise location of the wild colony is kept secret for the same reasons, ensuring this 43,600-year-old survivor persists.