On a steep volcanic slope on Robinson Crusoe Island in the Pacific Ocean, a lone dendroseris neriifolia tree clings to life with the help of taut ropes. It is the last known wild specimen of the species, which was once more widespread and now balances on the brink of extinction — a single natural disaster or gust of wind could wipe from the Earth a unique evolutionary line that formed in isolation over millions of years.
In May of this year, researchers mounted a risky operation and collected 400 seeds from the last living tree. Of these, 29 seeds, selected as the most promising, were sent to Great Britain in April. Eight seeds germinated successfully — a miracle in the world of rare plants, when nearly half of the planting material remains nonviable. Two young saplings now grow in the Logan Botanic Garden in Dumfries and Galloway, while the remaining six are at the Millennium Seed Bank and in neighbouring greenhouses at Kew. The choice of a Scottish garden is no accident: dozens of plants from the Juan Fernández Archipelago are already successfully cultivated there, and thanks to the warm breath of the Gulf Stream, the climate suits rare Chilean species better than anywhere else in the British Isles.
Dendroseris neriifolia is not merely a tree but a unique phenomenon in the plant world: the only member of the aster family (a relative of the daisy and the dandelion) whose small daisy-like flowers bloom directly on a woody, branching trunk. Over recent decades, the population of this "tree dandelion" has sharply declined. By 1980, only eight living specimens remained in the wild. Restoration projects begun in the early 2000s offered hope, but in 2017 protective measures weakened, and the species was once again in danger. Invasive plants, grazing by introduced animals, recurring fires and climate change completed the devastation.
The entire genus Dendroseris (which scientists call "cabbage trees") is found exclusively in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, located 760 km off the coast of Chile. This Chilean archipelago is a global biodiversity hotspot: 65% native plant species and 97% fish are found nowhere else on Earth. Yet this uniqueness translates into vulnerability. Within the genus Dendroseris, the situation is critical: six species are threatened, four are on the brink of extinction, and one has already gone extinct in the wild.
International collaboration between Chilean and British specialists was the response to this situation. Scientists emphasise that this is not merely about preserving a single plant, but about protecting a unique evolutionary line with its own history, its ecological surroundings and even its insect pollinators. According to experts, this is a kind of race against time, in which every successful sapling matters enormously — for biodiversity loss on islands proceeds faster than on the mainland.
At the Logan Garden, which thoroughly deserves the title of the most exotic in Scotland, the saplings will get a chance to adapt to new conditions and reach maturity. Richard Baines, the garden's curator, notes that studying their growth will help better understand the species' needs, identify optimal growing conditions and prepare the ground for possible future reintroductions into the wild. Such an approach makes it possible not only to keep genetic material safe but also to accumulate practical knowledge about how to help the species survive in a changed environment.
The story of dendroseris neriifolia is a reminder of how isolated island ecosystems are especially vulnerable to external pressures. A single tree on a slope at the edge of a ravine and a few saplings in different countries — that is, for now, all the visible hope for the species' continuation. But international efforts show that even in such extreme situations, joint action can give a species the extra time it needs to recover. Since a new seed-collecting mission is planned for 2027, the story of this rare "daisy tree" is not yet over.
