What are some of the curious plants of the Namib Desert?

Deserts contain some strange and curious plants. The Namib is a coastal desert in Africa. Extending over 1931 kilometres along the Atlantic Ocean, the desert is considered to be the oldest desert in the world.

The Namib Desert is home to a strange variety of plant life. One of them is the welwitschia plant. The plant looks wilted to ordinary people. The welwitschia plant has only two main leaves and they are spread out over the desert. The plant has a tired it sprouts on the ground.

The halfmens plant is another curious plant in the desert. It has a strange resemblance to a human being from a distance. That is the reason behind its African name, which means ‘half plant and half man’! Yet another plant, the kokerboom, has smooth branches. These branches have a light powder that reflects sunlight. The kokerboom has blue leaves that bloom during the months of June and July.

The lichen, the most common plant in the vast desert region, has the ability to draw moisture from fog and stay alive during the hot season.

 

Picture Credit : Google