Lush and green, hot and humid—Earth in the days of the dinosaurs teemed with plant life. Even the North and South Poles were covered with forests! Some prehistoric species are ancestors of modern-day plants. Can you find them in our gardens?
Giant chain fern
Woodwardia fimbriata
This is the largest fern species in North America. Hot, humid conditions allowed ferns to dominate prehistoric Earth before the evolution of flowering plants in the Cretaceous period.
Narrow sword fern
Nephrolepsis cordifolia
The prehistoric ancestors of modern-day ferns evolved over 300 million years ago. Like the dinosaurs, some ancient ferns reached massive proportions of 30 m (100 ft) tall—that’s the height of a 10-story building!
Soft tree fern
Dicksonia antarctica
What looks like the trunk of this fern is actually the decaying remains of the plant’s earlier growth, which forms a channel through which the roots grow.
Miniature tree fern
Oceaniopteris gibba
This fern species is native to the subtropical regions of Southeast Asia, originating in Kanaky New Caledonia off of New Zealand.
Mother spleenwort
Asplenium bulbiferum
This plant grows small bulbs (bulbils) on the tips of its fronds that eventually fall off and grow into new ferns—an example of how a plant can reproduce without spores.
Windmill palm
Trachycarpus fortunei
The windmill palm is a tough species, able to withstand both drought and cold. This tropical tree is native to parts of China, Japan, Myanmar, and India.
Pygmy date palm
Phoenix roebelenii
This tropical, evergreen palm species grows along fast-moving rivers in Southeast Asia. Watch out for the spiny thorns near the base of the leaves—they can grow up to 30 cm (1 ft) long!
Queen palm
Arecastrum romanzoffianum
The fossil record shows that palms are among the oldest families of flowering plants. The earliest palms date to the Late Cretaceous, around 80 million years ago.
Norfolk Island pine
Auraucaria heterophylla
Norfolk Island pine trees are conifers—their seeds are enclosed in cones (flowering plants encase them in fruits). Conifers appeared roughly 310 million years ago in Europe and North America.
Dragon tree
Dracen draco
This species’ red resin, known as dragon’s blood, has been used by humans as a wood stain, hair dye, medicinal ingredient, and more. Dragon trees are slow growers, taking 30 years to reach maturity.
Sago palm
Cycas revoluta
Don’t be misled by the name—sago palm is actually a cycad. This species is also a living fossil, dating to 200 million years ago.
Giant white bird of paradise
Strelitzia nicolai
A distant relative of the banana plant, this species is native to South Africa. It can live up to 50 years and grow to a towering 9 m (30 ft) high in the wild.
Small Cape rush
Chondropetalum tectorum
This plant is native to South Africa. The name Chondropetalum comes from the Greek words for "wheat" (chondros) and “flower petal” (petalum).
Variegated shell ginger
Alpinia zerumbet “variegata”
Different species of shell ginger sport broad leaves and fragrant flowers which can be white or pink, with red, purple, or brown markings.
Xanadu philodendron
Thaumatophyllum xanadu
Philodendrons contain calcium oxalate in their tissues, which can cause swelling and irritation around the mouth if chewed on—an effective defense against hungry plant-eaters.
Sunshine conebush
Leucadendron
These drought-tolerant shrubs are native to South Africa. Their large flowers are actually seed-bearing cones surrounded by colorful leaf-like structures called bracts.
Giant timber bamboo
Bambusa oldhamii
Bamboo evolved from prehistoric grasses between 30 and 40 million years ago. A fast-growing species, giant timber bamboo can reach heights of nearly 17 m (55 ft).
The Academy goes Cretaceous: Moving, roaring, life-size animatronic dinosaurs have taken over our gardens!
The Department of Botany seeks to discover, document, and protect Earth's incredible diversity of land plants.
Volunteers wanted! Help us digitize our botany collection by transcribing specimen labels in your spare time.
