The Wollemi Pine, which caught world-wide attention in 1994 after being discovered in a remote canyon in Sydney's Blue Mountains, may now have an uncertain future because of its past.

Touted as a 'living fossil' dating back to the Jurassic period, the Wollemi Pine is credited as being more than 130 million years old.

Dr Greer, a leading biologist, thinks differently and has criticised the scientific world for their race to publish data which is yet unfounded. Greer, commenting in the Weekend Australian suggests that the Wollemi may in fact be a new species rather than one that has survived several age periods.

Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens executive director, Dr Tim Entwistle, disagrees with the new claim and holds firmly that Wollemi's are direct descendants of their distinct lineage. Entwistle believes there is more than enough evidence to pinpoint their descension rights and argues the point.

This could create an awesome bun fight within the botanical world and it will be interesting to see how it's played out in the ensuing months. The result, however, will be unlikely to reverse the public's infatuation with this plant and regardless of whether it's a direct descendant or a new species from the original lineage will make very little difference.

UPDATE

If you read the comment below from Tyra of Tyra's Garden you will notice that she promised photos of a Wollemi near her in Amsterdam. The Dutch are really treating it with kid gloves!