In the depths of the wilderness amongst the Tanzanian mountains, researchers have made a fascinating new discovery.

According to a study recently published in Phytotaxa, this remote terrain is home to an ancient tree now known as the Tessmannia princeps.

But despite being newly-discovered, there is nothing new about it.

Nor is this tree unassuming. In fact, Tessmannia princeps stands at over 115 feet tall, with a thick diameter of almost nine feet.

This hefty tree reaches its great heights by stretching above the tree canopy, allowing its leaves to absorb all the delicious sunlight it can handle to aid in its photosynthesis.

And, according to new studies of the rings from one of the tree’s trunks, some of the bigger members of the species could be between two and three thousand years old.

How is it possible that such an ancient and mighty species of tree has gone undetected for so long?

Well, not only are the newly-discovered trees situated in a remote area (they’ve only been found thanks to a forest restoration project in Tanzania), they are also few in number.

In fact, the research team discovered only two populations of this tree in their search efforts, with individual trees numbering only around 100.

With this in mind, the researchers recommend that Tessmannia princeps is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Though this species has survived on its own for thousands of years, conservation efforts could ensure that it endures for generations to come.

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