It belongs to an evolutionary line thought to have been extinct for many millions of years. The Wollemi pine is an Australian conifer that was only discovered in 1994 in a gorge only 150 km from Sydney. Conifers include many magnificent trees such as the giant redwoods of California and are still one of the major sources of timber and so it is unfortunate that so many species are under threat of extinction. 133 species or 53% of the pine family (Pinaceae) are listed in the Red Data Book. The data from the World Conservation Union estimate that 327 of the 586 species of Pinopsida (pines and their close relatives) are threatened. The cone-bearing trees are some of our most ancient species that have survived through the ages and many changes in world climate. Prance, in Encyclopedia of Forest Sciences, 2004 The Conifers or Softwood Species
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