In pictures: Ancient tree ferns thrive in hidden Chinese forest

Deep within a remote mountain region of southwest China's Yunnan Province, a remarkable population of endangered spider-monkey tree ferns (Alsophila spinulosa) has persisted undisturbed for centuries. Conservationists recently confirmed on Thursday that over 3,000 specimens are thriving in this 428,000-acre forest reserve.

The discovery unfolded last month when wildlife filmmaker Zhou Baolin encountered the prehistoric plants while scouting locations for a nature documentary near De'an Town. "I had seen it on television before, and thought these tall ferns somewhat resembled the ferns," he told China News Service. "So, I reported the finding to the authorities."

Nestled at 1,500 meters elevation within Ning'er County's protected woodlands, the colony forms a green cathedral beneath towering hardwoods, with some specimens reaching three meters tall. Botanists note the ferns grow both in dense clusters along stream banks and as solitary sentinels spaced apart through the rugged terrain.

Unlike other small ferns, Alsophila spinulosa can grow up to 15 meters high. The huge canopy with geometrical beauty looks like a proud male peacock showing its glamorous tail. Surprisingly, the fern doesn't flower or bear fruit. It is propagated through tiny spores hidden in the back of the leaves.

During the Jurassic Period, Alsophila spinulosa was the main food for dinosaurs because its stem contains ample starch. Now, local people use the starch to make wine. The fern is a living fossil that records the geological and environmental change in ancient times and is now under second-class state protection in China.

Local authorities now plan to establish a protected zone around the grove and deploy monitoring devices.

Watch: The precious living fossil in Hainan's rainforest