I got a catalog from National Geographic and they are selling them as Christmas gifts for $99. Says they are exclusive. Kris

Plant Delights was offering them for the same price as National Geographic but I have personally seen them and can attest that they are twice as big and still have their central leaders.

Tony, yes you are right, however, population size doesnt provide a greater insight into the reasoning of a restricted occurence, it only illustrates that the refuge is slightly larger for that species. I have thought for a while that the three variables water, fire and competition all act independently and codependently to account for the biogeography in Australian plants. These variables be they a result of Aboriginal or natural climate change they have a massive bearing on species occurences and associated speciation. Wollemia would undoubtedly be suited to the highlands of the Wet Tropics however previous climatic deterioration has led to the demise of Nothofagus and the main element of temperate rainforests 'Eucryphia' is only represented by a single population on one mountain peak (which happens to be the highest in the Wet Tropics). Reiterating, Wollemia would grow in the current days climate as it is cool and wet however the competition from large mesophyll species would undoubtedly bump it out of the habitat. I once grow a Nothofagus cunninghamii in the lowlands of NE NSW where it grew amazingly well attaining a height of 2m in less than 2 years. I planted it in the ground where it quickly died due to a lack of water. This suggests that this species is restricted to sthn Vic and Tas because of milder lower evaporation rates and constant moisture. In the warmer subtropics it is unlikley to control is stomata as efficiently as required and thus it looses water to quickly. A friend has a N .cunninghamii growing well in a wetter site than where I planted mine- thus bolstering my presumption that it isnt temperature its water availability that restricts this species to sth locations. Nothofagus moorei is only common in locations where the forests leaf size is reduced to Notophyll and is wet AND the species only recruits following disturbance and freedom from the notophyll saplings/trees. Thus I think that all three variables are at play and possibly if fire wasnt an element of Australian landscapes that competition is more so a determinate than water. Wollemia has small leaves and thus competition with larger leaved species has undoubtedly resulted in its restricted occurence too, as well as fire because Eucalypts are so common in this area now. Maybe it has become restricted to this locality during a really bad climate deterioration event however hasnt been able to escape and re-expand due to the advance of Eucalypts and associated fire-phylic habitats. Now Im rambling.... From Kris

Great photos MM. Haven't seen one myself in real life as yet. I read an interesting article in Readers Digest (I think it was anyway - read it at the in-laws place a couple of weeks ago). I enjoyed the way the story was written about the history of the pine over the ages. It mentioned something about the phytophora fungus that is starting to affect the trees in the wild. Apparently it is suspected of being brought in by bushwalkers who discovered where the pine is growing. Hopefully the rangers will manage to get it under control. Thanks for the photos.