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The Methuselah Grove in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is the location of the "Methuselah", a Great Basin bristlecone pine that is 4,856 years old. [7] It is considered to be the world's oldest known and confirmed living non-clonal organism. It was temporarily superseded by a 5,062 year old bristlecone pine discovered in 2010.
The Inyo National Forest contains the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, which protects specimens of Great Basin bristlecone pines (Pinus longaeva). One of these bristlecone pines is "Methuselah", the second oldest known non-clonal living tree on earth at more than 4,839 years old; the oldest known tree (discovered 2013) also lives in the park. [15]
The bristlecone pine's root system is mostly composed of highly branched, shallow roots, while a few large, branching roots provide structural support. The bristlecone pine is extremely drought tolerant due to its branched shallow root system, its waxy needles, and thick needle cuticles that aid in water retention. [8] Gnarled bristlecone pine wood
Researchers in Chile identify a challenger to the world's oldest tree: an alerce in Alerce Costero National Park that may be over 5,000 years old.
A dendrochronology, based on these trees and other bristlecone pine samples, extends back to about 9000 BC, albeit with a single gap of about 500 years. [20] [3] An older bristlecone pine was reportedly discovered by Tom Harlan in 2009, based on a sample core collected in 1957. According to Harlan, the tree was 5,062 years old and still living ...
Methuselah is a Great Basin bristlecone pine that is 4,856 years old and has been credited as the oldest known living non-clonal organism on Earth. [6] To protect it, the exact location of this tree is kept secret. In 1987, the bristlecone pine was designated one of Nevada's state trees. [7]
The bristlecone pine is an important species that is indicative of the Great Basin montane forest. Bristlecones live a long time, some for thousands of years. The harsh areas they occupy are often devoid of other plant life, so there is little competition and reduced risk of fire.
In contrast with Rocky Mountain ecoregions to the north, lodgepole pine is rather rare, replaced by ponderosa pine and quaking aspen. [4] Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, limber pine and Gambel oak can also be found in the mountain forests. [5] Bristlecone pine is the dominant plant at the tree line/krummholz zone. [4]