Science is Fun Fridays!
Welwitschia, or tumbo, is a monotypic plant endemic to the Namib Desert; more specifically, the Kaokoveld Desert.
Named after Friedrich Welwitsch, the Austrian botanist who first described the plant in 1859, he himself had wanted to name it Tumboa, according to its local name in Angola.
The plant absorbs water through the fog, which can form when the hot humid air interacts with cooler mountain air. They can also obtain water from the ground, and are in areas where streams tend to flow after rainfall. They have shallow roots, consisting of a tapering taproot and a network of spongy roots that grow laterally.
Seeds are fertilized by insects, as both male and female plants produce an attractive nectar.
Age is difficult to assess, but many are believed to be from 1,000 to 2,000 years old. Two leaves grow continuously, which then split and fray into sections. The circumference of the leaves in contact with the sand may exceed 26 feet.
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