welwitschia

/ wɛlˈwɪtʃɪə /

noun

1. a gymnosperm plant, Welwitschia mirabilis, of the Namib Desert in SW Africa, consisting of two large woody leaves lying on the ground with a conelike structure arising between them: phylum Gnetophyta

Word History and Origins

Origin of welwitschia¹

C19: named after F. M. J. Welwitsch (1807–72), Portuguese botanist, born in Austria

Example Sentences

In the desert collection is a two-leafed plant, the welwitschia mirabilis, that can endure a 3,000-year lifetime on no more than a light mist.

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He stops by a welwitschia, a Namibian plant with two leaves, proclaiming it the “ugliest plant in the world” and delivering the line with such enthusiasm that it sounds like a compliment.

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