The Green Dinosaur of the Daintree Rainforest

Have you ever wondered what the most primitive plant on Earth looks like? Well, here it is. This is The Idiot Fruit (Idiospermum australiense) also known as the Ribbonwood or the Green Dinosaur. It is considered to be the most primitive genus of flowering plants, at about 130 million years old and flowering at present on our ‘Gateway to Paradise’ walk at the private Rainforest area of Noah Valley. Its discovery in 1971 was perhaps one of Australia’s most vital botanical finds, greatly increasing scientists awareness of just how ancient the Daintree Rainforest really is.
We are often asked where the name originated . It is believed that when the seeds were discovered in the stomach of dead cattle, locals picked the Idio – part of the botanical name (Idiospermum australiense) to mean idiot and thus the name stuck.
Another reason why the Daintree Rainforest is very special.