This tangled mess of tattered as well as withered leaves has been called 1 of the ugliest plants inwards the world. While it sure enough isn’t pretty , it definitely is 1 of the most remarkable members of the Plant Kingdom.
Welwitschia mirabilis grows solely inwards the arid deserts of Namibia as well as Angola. When it was discovered inwards 1859 yesteryear Austrian medico as well as botanist Friedrich Welwitsch , he was as well as so overwhelmed yesteryear the industrial plant life that he "could gain nix but kneel downwards as well as gaze at it , one-half inwards fearfulness lest a touching should examine it a figment of the imagination.”
Welwitschia mirablilis is odd because the entire industrial plant life is comprised of only ii leaves —just ii , along alongside a stalk base of operations as well as roots. The distich of leaves are the master copy infant leaves it grew when the industrial plant life was a seedling. The leaves piece of job on to grow similar fingernails , never shedding , piece their tips larn worn off alongside historic catamenia as well as abrasion. The leaves residuum on the soil as well as every bit they grow , their ends larn split upward , torn as well as tattered into multiple ribbons , which gives the impression that at that spot are multiple leaves. Many of these plants are over 1 ,000 years old.
Welwitschia mirablilis , the most remarkable industrial plant life , looks similar a mess. Photo credit: Hans Hillewaert/Wikimedia
Welwitschia mirablilis is a really lonely plant. It’s the solely surviving species of its genus , the solely genus of its identify unit of measurement , as well as the solely identify unit of measurement of its order. Welwitschia belonged to a grouping of plants that thrived 140 millions years agone , at the fourth dimension of the dinosaurs. Over fourth dimension , all of its relatives piece of cake disappeared , but Welwitschia remained.
Welwitschia mirablilis grows extremely piece of cake as well as tin post away attain a elevation of 1.5 meters to a higher identify the soil , although the bulk of specimens are less than a meter tall. The leaves grow an average 8 to xv centimeter per year. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 thousand-year-old industrial plant life tin post away so gain upward to 150 meters of foliage tissue , although leaves longer than 4-6 meters are seldom seen inwards living plants every bit the tips piece of job on to expire as well as wither. Some of the largest specimens tin post away endure four meters across.
The leaves of the Welwitschia mirablilis are really thick , well-nigh 1.4 cm , that helps maintain the soil nether the industrial plant life cool as well as moist , which is essential for the plant’s survival inwards the desert. Since rainfall inwards this expanse is erratic , the industrial plant life absorbs wet from fog that regularly develops at dark over the desert when the mutual coldness north-flowing currents meets the hot air coming off the Namib Desert. This component is performed yesteryear the leaves yesteryear keeping their stomata opened upward at dark as well as closing it when the fog lifts. Because of the dependence on fog , the industrial plant life is seldom industrial plant life to a greater extent than than 100 km from the coast.
Welwitschia mirabilis provides an of import source of nutrient to animals such every bit oryx , springbok , zebra , as well as dark rhinoceros inwards times of extreme drought. The industrial plant life likewise provides shade to snakes as well as lizards.
Welwitschia mirabilis is neither endangered nor threatened , although at that spot is bear witness of fungal infection that is known to adversely behaviour upon reproduction. The industrial plant life is protected nether police line as well as inside a organisation of national parks as well as communal conservatories inwards Namibia as well as Angola. In recent years , Welwitschia has larn increasingly of import every bit a tourist attraction.
A immature Welwitschia mirablilis industrial plant life inwards Liberec botanical garden , Czech Republic. Photo credit: ŠJů/Wikimedia
Photo credit: Schnobby/Wikimedia
Some specimens expect similar they convey been run over yesteryear a truck. Photo credit: Thomas Schoch/Wikimedia
The largest known Welwitschia , nicknamed "The Big Welwitschia" , stands 1.4 m tall as well as is over four m inwards diameter. Photo credit: Petr Kosina/Flickr
The woman soul flowers of the Welwitschia mirablilis. Photo credit: Petr Kosina/Flickr
The woman soul cones of the Welwitschia mirablilis. Photo credit: Richard Droker/Flickr
Photo credit: Petr Kosina/Flickr
Photo credit: Petr Kosina/Flickr
Photo credit: jbdodane/Flickr
Photo credit: jbdodane/Flickr
Sources: www.kew.org / www.plantzafrica.com / www.krugerpark.co.za / www.llifle.com