Re: Wollemi, Attenborough, and Branagh

[Phil Bigelow <bigelowp@juno.com>]

On Wed, 11 May 2005 09:20:35 +1200 Christopher Taylor
<ck.taylor@auckland.ac.nz> writes:
> On 11/5/05 8:56 am, "David Marjanovic" <david.marjanovic@gmx.at> 
> wrote:
> 
> >> When Metasequoias were first sold to the public (shortly after 
> 1947),
> >> how much did they cost?
> > 
> > No idea... though... what was done to protect the natural habitat 
> of
> > *Metasequoia*? That's the supposed use of the revenues from 
> *Wollemia*
> > sales. 
> > 
>     Wasn't _Metasequoia_ originally known as a cultivated plant from 
> China?
> 'Natural habitat' wouldn't have been much of an issue.


You may be thinking of Ginkgos, which have been cultivated for thousands
of years.  

But referring to the original Metasequoia forest found in China as
"cultivated" is probably stretching that definition beyond its intended
meaning.

Wollemi's "stabilized" price will ultimately be dictated by the 2nd
generation (consumer-owned) trees, and how prolific seed producers these
trees are.  Currently, the 1st generation supply is controlled by a few
entities, and therefore the price is outrageous.


<pb>
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