Found only in the mountains of western China, the dove tree’s flowers are surrounded by large, whimsical leaves called involucres that lose their photosynthetic capability as they turn from green to white. National Geographic sponsored Zhiduan Chen to study the endangered tree in China. He shared the legend of how it was named: During the Han dynasty, the beautiful Zhaojun Wang married the king of a distant northern tribe. Missing her family, Zhaojun sent a letter home attached to a dove, which flew nonstop for a thousand miles, finally landing and dying on a dove tree branch outside her family’s home. The tree was renamed to honor the dedicated messenger. (Davidia involucrata)
