Family:  Family
Scientific name:  Welwitschia mirabilis
Common name:  welwitschia, tree tumbo

Native of:  Namibia and Angola

Greenhouse location:  Room A

After the seedling of Welwitschia mirabilis produces its cotyledons (seeds leaves), it produces two true leaves. The very durable true leaves are the only leaves the plant will ever produce. They continually grow throughout the life of the plant to a maximum length of 13 feet.

The plants are dioecious, meaning female and male flowers occur on separate plants. Pollination is carried out by insects in the plant's native range, and large colonies of W. mirabilis can occur in ideal locations.

W. mirabilis, sometimes referred to as a living fossil, is the only living genus of the family Welwitschiaceae—making it what is known as a monotypic genus of plant. Some specimens are thought to be over 1000 years old with the oldest living W. mirabilis believed to be nearly 2000 years old!