A single specimen of toromiro – a close relative of our own kōwhai and extinct in the wild – has been discovered in Te Papa's botany collection, where it’s been kept safe for 150 years.
Te Papa's Toromiro specimen close-up, Photo: Te Papa
Thanks to new DNA analysis, Genetic Scientist Lara Shepherd and Botanist Carlos Lehnebach think the specimen grew from seeds collected on Captain Cook’s visit to Rapa Nui (Easter Island).
Te Papa Genetic Scientist Lara Shepherd and Botanist Carlos Lehnebach Photo: Te Papa
