Albino redwood
Encyclopedia
The Albino redwood is a redwood tree (Sequoia sempervirens) which is unable to produce chlorophyll
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in almost all plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Its name is derived from the Greek words χλωρος, chloros and φύλλον, phyllon . Chlorophyll is an extremely important biomolecule, critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to obtain energy from light...

, so has white instead of green needles. In order to survive it must remain attached to the roots of its parent tree from which it obtains nutrition as a parasite. Only about twenty-five examples of the albino redwood are known. These can be found in both the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is a California State Park located in Santa Cruz County, primarily in the area in-between the cities of Santa Cruz, Felton, and Scotts Valley, and the University of California at Santa Cruz, and it includes an extension in the Fall Creek area.-Geography:The main...

 and the Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Humboldt Redwoods State Park is located south of Eureka, California in southern Humboldt County, within northern California. Established by the Save-the-Redwoods League in 1921 with the dedication of the Raynal Bolling Memorial Grove, it has grown to become the third largest park in the California...

, with eight trees in the first.
The exact locations however, are not publicized to protect the rare trees.

Redwood trees have six copies of each chromosome
Chromosome
A chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions.Chromosomes...

, unlike nearly all mammals which have only two, allowing for a wide variety of genetic material and quick adaptation against viruses and fungi which would otherwise kill the entire species. This very same system can give birth to mutant trees like this albino.
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