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Florida Tree Nears Extinction As Researchers Work To Save It
Torreya tree. Photo courtesy University of South Florida
There’s an effort underway to save a Florida tree from extinction.
The Florida torreya tree is a conifer found primarily in the Panhandle near the Apalachicola River. Fewer than 800 are believed to remain in existence.
Jason Smith of the University of Florida says a fungus is behind its decline.
“It causes a lesion in the stem that causes the tree to die. Basically we think the species is on a very rapid trajectory toward extinction. It’s likely that within the next 50 years the population will go extinct.”
Researchers are considering whether the tree could be genetically altered to resist the fungus. In the meantime they are working to preserve it in places like the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
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