Rediscovery of the Elusive Quercus tardifolia: A Decade-Long Extinction Misconception in Texas’ Big Bend National Park
For nearly a decade, the Quercus tardifolia, a lesser-known oak tree species exclusive to the Chisos Mountains within Texas’ Big Bend National Park, was believed to have vanished due to the challenges posed by rising temperatures.
However, botanist Michael Eason’s recent encounter with a pair of Quercus tardifolia in Big Bend has rewritten the species’ presumed fate.”
Michael Eason: Rediscovering the Presumed-Extinct Oak Tree
Michael Eason, the Associate Director of Conservation and Collections at the San Antonio Botanical Garden’s Rare Plants and Conservation Program, possesses a unique expertise that allowed him to identify the long-thought-extinct oak tree, although even he had initial doubts.
“The oak trees in West Texas and Northern Mexico can be incredibly perplexing,” Eason explained to KUT, Austin’s public radio station, pointing out that oak trees frequently cross-pollinate, leading to the creation of numerous subspecies.
To navigate this complexity, Eason and his colleagues sent leaf clippings to the Morton Arboretum in Illinois, where botanists confirmed the trees’ identity as tardifolia.
“It’s unquestionably a career highlight, discovering something presumed extinct,” Eason expressed to KUT. “There was definitely elation when we found it that first day; I was quite emotional. No one expected us to find two, and no one ever anticipated exploring other populations on private land.”
Recognizing the inevitability of natural forces, Eason and his fellow conservationists have no intentions of reintroducing tardifolia to Big Bend. Instead, their strategy involves cultivating them in botanic gardens and arboretums across the United States, safeguarding the species’ continued existence.
Eason has already successfully grafted shoots onto oak rootstock at the San Antonio Botanical Garden, reporting their thriving growth.”