Definition

Noun: 1. A living fossil plant genus: A genus of primitive evergreen trees, considered a "living fossil" and sometimes colloquially called a "green dinosaur." These trees belong to the family Proteaceae and were believed to have been extinct for around 50 million years until a single living specimen was discovered in 1994. 2. A taxonomic classification: The genus name for a rare, relict species of nut-bearing tree, representing a unique and ancient lineage.

Examples of Usage

• The discovery of genus Bartle-Frere was a major botanical event, revealing a plant thought lost to prehistory.
• Scientists are studying the sole known survivor of genus Bartle-Frere to understand ancient flora.
• The tree, a member of genus Bartle-Frere, grows only on Mount Bartle Frere in Queensland.

Advanced Usage

• The term is used almost exclusively in scientific, botanical, and conservation contexts due to the extreme rarity and significance of the plant it denotes.
• It exemplifies the concept of a "Lazarus taxon"—an organism that disappears from the fossil record only to be found alive later.

Variants and Related Words

• Green dinosaur (n): A colloquial nickname for this genus, highlighting its ancient, relic status.
• Living fossil (n): A general term for any extant species or group that closely resembles species known only from the fossil record; the primary descriptive term for genus Bartle-Frere.

Synonyms

• Living fossil
• Relict genus

Notes on Meaning

• The name "genus Bartle-Frere" is intrinsically linked to the location of its rediscovery, Mount Bartle Frere in eastern Australia. The genus itself does not yet have an official, formally published scientific name.
• It refers specifically to a single known genus and, effectively, a single known species within that genus, making it one of the most restricted genera in the world.

Noun

1. a living fossil or so-called `green dinosaur'; genus or subfamily of primitive nut-bearing trees thought to have died out 50 million years ago; a single specimen found in 1994 on Mount Bartle Frere in eastern Australia; not yet officially named