Imagine a tree species so devastated by disease that it’s been dubbed the 'zombie tree'—a haunting name for a plant that’s technically alive but unable to grow or reproduce. This is the grim reality facing the Rhodamnia zombi, a rainforest tree identified in 2020, just as it began its slide toward extinction. But here’s where it gets even more alarming: this isn’t just about one tree; it’s part of a larger crisis threatening 17 species, all pushed to the brink by a relentless fungal invader called myrtle rust.
Discovered in Australia in 2010 after arriving from overseas, myrtle rust has spread like wildfire through native forests, infecting new growth and preventing shoots from maturing. The result? Trees that are essentially trapped in a state of suspended animation, unable to flower, fruit, or produce seeds. Field surveys paint a dire picture: some trees have already perished, and the survivors are barely clinging to existence. And this is the part most people miss—this isn’t just a loss of biodiversity; it’s a stark reminder of how quickly invasive species can unravel millions of years of evolution.
Professor Rod Fensham, a botanist at the University of Queensland, calls it a race against time. 'If you can’t grow or reproduce, you’re pretty doomed,' he explains. Found in the rainforests of Queensland’s Burnett region, the Rhodamnia zombi is a small to medium-sized tree with large dark green leaves, shaggy bark, and hairy white flowers. But its beauty belies its plight. 'It was pretty sick across its range,' Professor Fensham notes. Without the ability to build energy stores or produce seeds, the species is on the verge of 'giving up the ghost.'
Here’s where it gets controversial: While many native plants have shown tolerance to myrtle rust, a small group, including the Rhodamnia zombi, has proven devastatingly susceptible. Why? Scientists believe the answer may lie in the genome, where resistance could be 'lurking' in close relatives. But there’s a catch: this evolutionary process can’t occur naturally because the trees are no longer producing seeds. Instead, researchers are taking matters into their own hands, partnering with specialist nurseries to grow clean cuttings in protected environments. The goal? To keep the plants disease-free long enough for them to flower, set seed, and produce a next generation that can be tested for tolerance.
'It’s a rare chance to watch evolution in real time,' Professor Fensham says. But it’s also a high-stakes gamble. On Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, groups like Barung Landcare are on the front lines, with horticulturists like Alexandra Hayes-Hatten and conservation trainees like Milo Wakeman-Bateman collecting cuttings, treating them with rooting hormones, and monitoring them for infection. 'It’s a fine line to play,' Hayes-Hatten admits. 'But there are a few that are doing pretty well.' For her, the work is both daunting and inspiring. 'Learning about something that might just go extinct in the blink of an eye is quite scary,' she says. 'But we’ve got the people and the resources, so we might as well step up and do something.'
Nursery specialists in Lismore and Townsville have joined the effort, and if resistant individuals can be identified, the long-term hope is to reintroduce them to forests where the species once thrived. 'It’s ambitious,' Professor Fensham acknowledges. 'But these trees need time and space without being constantly exposed to myrtle rust to express any resistance.' Left unchecked, the Rhodamnia zombi will remain what scientists have grimly named it—the living dead.
But here’s the question that lingers: Is it ethical to intervene in this way, potentially altering the natural course of evolution? Or is it our responsibility to save species like the Rhodamnia zombi from the brink of extinction? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments—this is a conversation that needs to happen.
