Giant Welwitschia Mirabilis

Welwitschia is a monotypic genus of gymnospermic green plants whose only species is the famous Welwitschia mirabilis, popularly known as "desert octopus", which only exists in the Namib Desert in Angola.

Welwitschias are gnetophyte plants of the class Gnetopsida, belonging to the order Welwitsciales and family Welwitschiaceae.
It is a creeping plant, formed by a woody stem that does not grow, a huge upright root and only two leaves, coming from the cotyledons of the seed; the leaves, shaped like a wide ribbon, continue to grow throughout the life of the plant, as they have basal meristems.
Over time, the leaves can reach more than two meters in length and become ragged at the edges.
It is difficult to assess how old these plants reach, but it is thought that they can live for more than 1000 years.

Welwitschia mirabilis is a dioecious plant, that is, the male and female cones are born on different plants.
Traditionally, this species was classified as a gymnosperm (along with pines and similar plants), but is currently classified as a gnetophyte , a division of green plants that produce seeds (spermatophytes).

It is an orphan plant in terms of relatives, the closest are pine trees.
It has characteristics that seem antagonistic, which should not be combined in the same plant. Despite the climate in which it lives, Welwitschia can absorb water from dew through its leaves.

This species also has a physiological characteristic in common with crassulaceans (plants with fleshy or succulent leaves, such as cacti): acid metabolism - during the day, the leaves keep the stomata closed, to prevent perspiration, but at night they they open, let in the carbon dioxide necessary for photosynthesis and store it, in the form of malic and isocitric acids, in the vacuoles of their cells; During the day, these acids release CO2 and convert it into glucose through reactions known as the Calvin cycle.

Due to its unique characteristics, including its slow growth, Welwitschia is considered an endangered species, as it has existed since the time of the dinosaurs.
However, it is thought that the plants that live in Angola are more protected than those in Namibia, due to the landmines that protect their habitat [citation needed].
The plant can be grown from seeds, which must be kept moist and exposed to intense heat and light for the first few weeks.

Seeds collected in the field are usually contaminated with spores of the fungus Aspergilus niger and usually rot after germination, but seeds from Cape Age Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden (South Africa) or other crop sources are usually free from that fungus.