Lahore Park: Rare tree from dinosaur-era lineage puts out full crown
LAHORE: A 176-year-old Queen Sago Palm, a member of a plant lineage older than the dinosaurs, is in full leaf at Lawrence Garden, an officer of the Punjab Horticulture Authority (PHA) disclosed here on Sunday. The tree predates the historic garden, which was developed in the 1860s as a botanical garden and leisure ground. He said the garden was modelled on London’s Kew Gardens. Queen Sago Palms…
A 176-year-old Queen Sago Palm, dating back to an era older than dinosaurs, flourishes fully at Lahore's Lawrence Garden, a spokesperson for the Punjab Horticulture Authority announced on Sunday. The tree predated the garden, established in the 1860s as a botanical paradise and recreational area modeled after London's Kew Gardens.
Cycads, the tree's genus, are a lineage of seed-bearing plants with a fossil record spanning 280 to 300 million years, predating the age of dinosaurs. These plants thrived during the Mesozoic Era, when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, earning them the moniker "Age of Cycads." During this period, plant-eating dinosaurs like long-necked sauropods are believed to have feasted on the foliage, cones, and seeds of Cycads, including the Sago Palm.
Despite their ancient lineage and resilience, Cycads face significant threats, with 60 percent of assessed species now endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List. The spokesperson emphasized that the Lahore Sago Palm, while prehistoric, represents a threatened variety, underscoring its historical and conservation significance.
Lawrence Garden, Asia's largest botanical garden, boasts over 150 tree varieties, including 30 palm species, many introduced by the British from the Indian subcontinent, Austria, Palestine, Syria, and beyond.
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