Welwitschia

Welwitschia is a monotypic genus (that is, a genus that contains a single recognised species) of gymnosperm, the sole described species being the distinctive Welwitschia mirabilis, endemic to the Namib desert within Namibia and Angola. Welwitschia is the only living genus of the family Welwitschiaceae and order Welwitschiales in the division Gnetophyta, and is one of three living genera in Gnetophyta, alongside Gnetum and Ephedra. Informal sources commonly refer to the plant as a "living fossil".

For the Namibian national rugby union team nicknamed the Welwitschias, see Namibia national rugby union team. For the Namibian representative rugby union team playing in South African domestic competitions, see Welwitschias.

Welwitschia
The largest known Welwitschia, nicknamed "The Big Welwitschia", stands 1.4 m (4.6 ft) tall and is over 4 m (13 ft) in diameter
CITES Appendix II (CITES)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnospermae
Division: Gnetophyta
Class: Gnetopsida
Order: Welwitschiales
Family: Welwitschiaceae
Genus: Welwitschia
Hook.f.
Species:
W. mirabilis
Binomial name
Welwitschia mirabilis
Welwitschia's range.
Synonyms
  • Tumboa Welw. nom. rej.
  • Tumboa bainesii Hook. f. nom. inval.
  • Welwitschia bainesii (Hook. f.) Carrière
  • Tumboa strobilifera Welw. ex Hook. f. nom. inval.
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