The Iconic Redwoods

Eel River at Humboldt Redwoods State Park

Coast redwoods (sequoia sempervirens) are some of the most unique and versatile tree species on Earth. Their ancestors have been on the planet for around 245 million years! How do organisms survive this long?  How do plants and animals adapt over a gazillion years? They must mutate! Let's look at some mutations that are visually very odd!

In the image above, it looks like a redwood tree growing off another redwood tree. The living tissue of the cambium layer (beneath the bark) contains unsprouted bud tissue that carries the tree's genetic material. So when the branch sprouts, in some circumstances, it begins to grow like another tree, moving upward toward the sun.

     Coast Redwoods have a genetic makeup that’s nearly nine times larger than the human genome. The 3 species of sempervirens we see today, emerged between 65-36 million years ago; sempervirens, giganteum (Giant sequoia), and glyptostroboides (Dawn redwood). The earliest fossil record in California is found in rocks less than 20 million years old. (During the Miocene era)

Redwoods accumulate mutations at a high rate. The albino trees are an example.

Nearly white-leaved albinos are another mutation. They are that way because of a rare genetic mix-up. The tree and its needles lack chlorophyll. They survive largely as parasites, mooching off the parent tree with which they share roots. They also contain heavy metals like cadmium, copper, and nickel.

Genetic artistry in the redwood bark.

What causes horizontal wavy ridges or curls on the bark and interior of a few coastal redwoods? 
Don’t know. Most likely it's a genetic mutation. These patterns can also be seen by neighboring redwood trees growing out of the same root system (clonal group).

What plant has the most base pairs?
The itty bitty fern called Tmesipteris oblanceolata, pictured below. It has a whopping 160 billion base pairs in its DNA. ​The redwood has 26.5 base pairs in its DNA.

The researchers collected T. oblanceolata from the island nation of New Caledonia. It’s just a few inches tall. 

Photo credit: Pol Fernandez