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Glite Dictionary
Welwitschia mirabilis

Welwitschia mirabilis

9.9
A rare desert plant from southwest Africa with a thick trunk and two long strap-like leaves that live many years
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Welwitschia mirabilis
  • The Welwitschia mirabilis has two large, strap-shaped leaves that grow continuously throughout its life.

Examples

  • The Welwitschia mirabilis is renowned for its ability to survive in extreme desert environments for thousands of years.

  • Botanists consider Welwitschia mirabilis a living fossil due to its ancient lineage.

  • Visitors to Namibia are often amazed by the unusual appearance of Welwitschia mirabilis in the desert landscape.

  • The Welwitschia mirabilis is known for its unique appearance.

  • Have you ever seen a Welwitschia mirabilis in the wild?

  • Researchers have documented the extraordinary resilience of Welwitschia mirabilis, which can thrive in the harsh deserts of Namibia.

  • Many tourists make a point to observe the rare Welwitschia mirabilis during their visit to the Namib Desert.

Synonyms

welwitschia
vsWelwitschia mirabilis
  • South African
9.9

A desert plant with a thick trunk and only two long leaves that lives for thousands of years

is the formal scientific name used in taxonomy and literature

Surface Forms

Welwitschia mirabilis singular
Welwitschia mirabilises plural

Morphology

welwitschia + mirabilis

This is a scientific binomial (a species name) that functions as a proper noun rather than a compositional phrase; knowing the parts does not let a learner derive the descriptive meaning 'rare, long-lived plant'. The second element 'mirabilis' is Latin and not in a B1 learner's vocabulary, and the name mainly labels the species, so the overall meaning is not predictable from the constituents.

Etymology

Welwitschia mirabilis comes from the name Welwitschia, after the scientist Friedrich Welwitsch who first found it, and the Latin word mirabilis, which means 'wonderful'. The strange plant has only two huge, ribbon-like leaves and can live for thousands of years, so people saw it as amazing. So today Welwitschia mirabilis is the name for that rare, long-lived desert plant.