What is the Welwitschia

Welwitschia Mirabilis is an extraordinary plant endemic to the Namib Desert, a headless tree with a hollowed-out stump and two spreading leaves, splitting as the plant ages. The plant was first discovered by an Austrian botanist, Friedrich Welwitsch, in the Namib Desert of southern Angola in September 1859. It is related to a primitive group of plants and it is believed that the Welwitschia was once tree-like. Continental drift and a gradual change in climate gave this conifer relic a chance to adapt gradually and adopt a lower growing habit. The plant has a short, unbranched, woody stem bearing only two straps like leaves that continue to grow throughout its lifetime, which can last a considerable while. If the plant is healthy, the average Welwitschia can be expected to survive for an average of 500 years, but some specimens are believed to be over 1 500 years old. These broad, flat leaves are evergreen and grow at about a rate of 15cm a year, twisting and fraying over time. The longest unbroken leaf measured 6m long, of which about half was living tissue.

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