Isabella Miller The Wood’s Cycad (Encephalartos woodii) is often called the loneliest plant in the world. The scientists discovered this species in 1895 yet they could not find a female specimen which left the existing male specimens in biological uncertainty. The tree known as a “zombie” maintains life through its cloning process yet it has “forgotten” all methods of natural reproduction which makes it a living museum piece from an extinct time period.
The Last of Its Kind
All Wood’s Cycads alive today are clones of one single male tree found in the Ngoye Forest of South Africa. The species acts as a biological “dead end” because it cannot create new genetic life without female seeds which would prevent its evolutionary process.
Prehistoric Survival
Cycads have existed on Earth for more than 300 million years since they survived the dinosaur extinction event. The species exists as a “zombie” because it has survived all its natural pollinators and all its original habitats.
The Search for a Bride
For over a century, botanists have combed the African wilderness looking for a female Wood’s Cycad. The males continue to produce pollen without any destination because drone and satellite imaging techniques have failed to discover any female specimens.
Cloning via “Offsets”
The scientists protect the species from extinction by taking “offsets” which are small growths that emerge from male tree bases. The scientists plant these growths to reach their purpose of producing identical plant copies which you can find in botanical gardens across the world.
The Pollen Trap
Male Wood’s Cycad trees create large orange cones which contain pollen that they release every few years. The pollen should be transported by insects to a female tree in a healthy forest but the tree wasted its energy on pollen production which should have been used for other biological functions.
A 500-Year Life Span
Individual cycads can live for centuries. The original “zombie” genetics can continue for hundreds of years because the plants grow slowly and remain resistant to aging.
The Genetic Bottleneck
The Wood’s Cycad population contains identical DNA because every member of this group exists as a clone. The entire Wood’s Cycad population would perish from one disease because they lack genetic diversity to resist against it.
The “Sex Change” Experiment
Scientists study if they can chemically “nudge” a male clone to change its sex. Some other cycad species have been known to change sex due to trauma or temperature shifts which offers a tiny glimmer of hope.
The Hybrid Half-Measure
The Wood’s Cycad has been successfully bred by botanists with its closest relative which is the Encephalartos natalensis. The offspring maintain good health but only represent “half” Wood’s Cycads because the pure species version remains in its zombie state.
Protection by Armed Guard
A single Wood’s Cycad can fetch more than 20,000 dollars on the black market because of its extreme rarity. Some botanical gardens have to keep their “zombie” trees behind cages or under 24-hour surveillance to prevent plant poachers from stealing them.
