250 million years ago the planet was warmer and wetter than it is today. In the Triassic period, dinosaurs lived in a world dominated by giant horsetails and ferns that formed large forests. The first plants to have seeds were called gymnosperms, whose seeds are embedded in pine cones. They included cycads, ginkgos and conifers. This area features a collection of those ancient species: a specimen of Ginkgo biloba, Cycas, Encephalartos, Zamia, Dioon and Macrozamia.