The Welwitschia mirabilis plant is native to the Namib Desert of Namibia and Angola.
Welwitschia is one of the Namib’s most distinctive plants. Each individual produces only two permanent leaves, which continue growing from the base and may become split and tangled by wind over time. Some specimens are estimated to be more than 1,000 years old.
The Namib is a coastal desert extending along the Atlantic margins of Namibia and into southern Angola. Its aridity is strongly influenced by the cold Benguela Current, which cools the air and limits rainfall. Coastal fog nevertheless provides an important source of moisture for some organisms.
Welwitschia is sometimes described as having many leaves because its two leaves can tear into numerous strips. Botanically, however, the strips are parts of the same two continuously growing leaves. The plant is protected in several areas, including Namibia’s Namib-Naukluft region.