Welwitschia mirabilisOrigin Welwitschia mirabilis is native to the coastal regions of Angola and Namibia in Southwestern Africa. It was first documented in 1859 by the Austrian botanist Friedrich Welwitsch, after whom the genus is named. It is a "living fossil" and the only extant genus in its family and order. Habitat This plant thrives in the extreme conditions of the Namib Desert, one of the most arid regions on Earth. It is specifically adapted to environments with