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Related: About this forum5,000 year old tree in Scotland is changing gender, a rare and unusual phenomenon
5,000 year old tree in Scotland is changing gender, a rare and unusual phenomenon
Fortingall Yew, in Perthshire, has been recorded as 'male' for centuries, but in recent years it has started to sprout seeds, suggesting that part of it is changing gender. This 'rare and unusual phenomenon' move has baffled botanists.
The Fortingall Yew standing in a church yard in Perthshire, Scotland is estimated to be 5,000 years old. For as long as people have been recording data on the tree, it was assumed to be male - meaning that it produces pollen instead of berries. Yet, this year three red berries were spotted growing on its branches, which can only mean one thing: at least part of the tree is changing its sex to female.
How can this occur? Max Coleman of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh says, "It's a rare occurrence... rare and unusual and not fully understood." He believes that environmental stress may have led to hormonal changes in the tree, causing the berries to begin sprouting. The autumn and winter seasons make it easy to differentiate a yew's sex. Coleman recognizes that other yews and similar trees have been observed to seemingly switch sexes.
Fortingall Yew, in Perthshire, has been recorded as 'male' for centuries, but in recent years it has started to sprout seeds, suggesting that part of it is changing gender. This 'rare and unusual phenomenon' move has baffled botanists.
The Fortingall Yew standing in a church yard in Perthshire, Scotland is estimated to be 5,000 years old. For as long as people have been recording data on the tree, it was assumed to be male - meaning that it produces pollen instead of berries. Yet, this year three red berries were spotted growing on its branches, which can only mean one thing: at least part of the tree is changing its sex to female.
How can this occur? Max Coleman of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh says, "It's a rare occurrence... rare and unusual and not fully understood." He believes that environmental stress may have led to hormonal changes in the tree, causing the berries to begin sprouting. The autumn and winter seasons make it easy to differentiate a yew's sex. Coleman recognizes that other yews and similar trees have been observed to seemingly switch sexes.
Fascinating bit of science. I had no idea this could happen.
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5,000 year old tree in Scotland is changing gender, a rare and unusual phenomenon (Original Post)
Agnosticsherbet
Jun 2016
OP
merrily
(45,251 posts)1. Amazing!
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)2. That was my thought, also.
DiehardLiberal
(580 posts)3. Oh dear - now which bathroom will it use??
Bayard
(22,102 posts)4. What you said!
complain jane
(4,302 posts)5. LOL!
Festivito
(13,452 posts)8. No dropping no needles till we checks your birth certificate. Ya hear?
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)13. But your comment won this thread.
DiehardLiberal
(580 posts)18. Yay - that's a first for me! Thanks!!
MFM008
(19,818 posts)6. Like Jeff Goldblum said in Jurrasic Park
Life will always find a way............
Lodestar
(2,388 posts)7. The matriarchy has begun...
survival depends on it.
hopemountain
(3,919 posts)10. yes. it may be worth exploring
and researching examples of this phenomenon occurring through the ages in other life forms.
silverweb
(16,402 posts)9. "Life will find a way."
[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]My very favorite line from a favorite actor in an older movie. Because it's true.
unc70
(6,115 posts)11. Various plants and animals can change fender
Last edited Tue Jun 7, 2016, 09:10 AM - Edit history (1)
Oysters do it routinely.
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)12. I'll bet that is why oyster's have their reputation.
unc70
(6,115 posts)15. Unlike their cousins the exuberant bivalves.
eppur_se_muova
(36,271 posts)14. That's handy if they have a fender bender. nt
unc70
(6,115 posts)19. Afraid I have iFun disease
Stryst
(714 posts)16. Sex! It's changing it's SEX!
What is so hard to understand about the difference between sex and gender? Plant's don't have societies, so they don't have social roles. No gender. They have a physical sex, and in this plant that physical sex is changing.
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)17. Actually, plants do communicate (link below), just not with us.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/66302/5-ways-plants-communicate
So they could have some form of society.
You know, there is a Science Fiction story in that. Thanks.
So they could have some form of society.
You know, there is a Science Fiction story in that. Thanks.
Judi Lynn
(160,545 posts)20. May this tree live another 5,000 years, at least. Measures should be taken to protect it. n/t
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)21. I agree.