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Welwitschia - the oldest plant


Welwitschia - the oldest plant
Photo Information
Copyright: Andrzej Urbaniec (Deepforest) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 393 W: 21 N: 642] (5884)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-08-31
Categories: Nature
Camera: Konica Minolta Dimage Z2, King Circ. Polarizer 52 mm
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-11-17 12:55
Viewed: 1232
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Welwitschia mirabilis is recognized as the oldest plant of the world (!) so it is named a living fossil. It is a unique desert plant that looks like a giant octopus.
You can see here the female specimen in the foreground and male specimen in the background. It is estimated that both of them are about 700 years old!


after www.namibia-travel.net
Welwitschia is the most famous Namibian plant. Most specimen are about 1000 years old, some even older. In 1859 the "living fossil" was discovered by the Austrian botanist Dr. Welwitsch and named after him. The Welwitschia plant only grows two leaves, which over time get slightly shredded by the wind. The desert plant belongs to the succulents, i.e. is able to store water. It takes the water it needs for growing from the air. Welwitschias occur exclusively in the central part of the Namib desert, between 40 and 120 kilometres off the coast.
ktanska, Wanda1, Voltri, emka, ecoli1946, JonnyU, Tayon, mdetay, mikeo, CRATEOS, Wandering_Dan, photographer123 has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To emka: tak, dokladnieDeepforest 3 11-17 15:40
To JonnyU: ageDeepforest 1 11-17 14:09
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Voltri Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 194 W: 58 N: 244] (1629)
  • [2007-11-17 13:05]

Andrzej, a very good photo -- I like your composition with a big plant at the foreground. The note is amazing also.

Hey Andrzej, long time no see. Here you got a really good one, very unique plant showing TE members. Never saw this kind before. Taken from a great angle. A truely photo of learning the world thru photography. Well done. Sothy

  • Great 
  • emka Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 326 W: 12 N: 670] (4834)
  • [2007-11-17 13:22]
  • [+]

Witaj,

Bardzo ciekawe te rośliny i zdjęcie też bardzo ładne. Chyba tam na zboczu są dalsze okazy. Bardzo mi sie podoba. Pozdrawiam

Małgorzata

Bonsoir Andrzej,
Beau cours de botanique 101!
Belle image qui nous situe trčs bien l'environnement de cette plante bien particuličre... Et tu nous montres mâle et femelle... pour le prix d'un!
Belle lumičre, couleurs vives, photo trčs nette... Bravo!
Salutations, Réjean

  • Great 
  • Fis2 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 134 N: 1159] (29150)
  • [2007-11-17 13:50]

Witaj Andrzejku!
Ależ ciekawe te rośliny, rewelacja jak dla mnie. Fajny kadr i charakterystyczna kolorystyka. Piękne światło i miejsce.
Miłej niedzieli
Krzysztof

Lovely colors and very spesial plant indeed.How is it possible to find the age of a plant so old?

JonnyU

Hi Andrzej,

Amazing plant. I never heard of it before.
Well captured.

Mike

  • Great 
  • Gustaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2075 W: 647 N: 145] (16622)
  • [2007-11-17 14:01]

Oj, Afryka, Afryka! On ma swój klimat. Ciekawe zdjęcie z tego wielce interesującego kontynentu. Ładne kolorki.
Marek

  • Great 
  • Tayon Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 621 W: 294 N: 251] (1391)
  • [2007-11-17 14:45]

Hi Andrzej
very nice capture and composition...
the scenario is properly used to achieve the oldest plant of the world...
you got it well, nice colors, DOF, POV and sharpness.
good work.
Taba/Tayon

An interesting piece of flora youve come across and photographed. It puts some life back into the otherwise deserted and arid desert. Nice use of low sunlight too.
Regards,
Dave

  • Great 
  • mdetay Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 498 W: 3 N: 812] (3682)
  • [2007-11-17 16:29]

Hi Andrzej,
Nice botanical lecture.
Nice composition too.
Well done.
Michel

  • Great 
  • Paul65 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 184 W: 51 N: 156] (1176)
  • [2007-11-17 22:58]

Witaj Andrzej!
O jakże inne górskie krajobrazy od naszych. Wszystko spalone słońcem, ostre brązowe kolory podbarwione zachodzącym słońcem.
Podoba mi się ta niezbyt świeża roślina umieszczona na pierwszym planie. Pokazuje ona, że mimo pustynnego krajobrazu, możemy spotkać tam życie.
Pozdrawiam Paweł.
Miłej niedzieli.

  • Great 
  • Ber Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 361 W: 11 N: 289] (6028)
  • [2007-11-17 23:38]

An Amazing Survivor!
Welwitschia—Paradox of a Parched Paradise. An Afrikaans name for it, tweeblaarkanniedood, literally means “two-leaf-cannot-die.”
Swietnie ze ja pokazales!
Pozdrawiam

  • Great 
  • mikeo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 919 W: 89 N: 829] (6234)
  • [2007-11-18 2:34]

No i zgodnie z obietnica ogladamy roslinki:)
Niesamowite! I bardziej podoba mi sie ta panienka:)
Wspanialy widok, piekne miejsce...ciekawe jak te roslinki daja sobie tam rade na takim pustkowiu:)

Pozdrowionka
Aga

  • Great 
  • Graal Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4392 W: 110 N: 382] (38200)
  • [2007-11-18 11:33]

Czesc,
niezwykla roslina na tym pustynnym miejscu, ladny kadr i dobre informacje. Jakosc tez ok. Podoba mi sie.
Pozdr. Al.

  • Great 
  • jasmis Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2767 W: 578 N: 2843] (34109)
  • [2007-11-18 13:00]

Super przekaz. Czuje się atmosferę gorąca i egzotyki. Dobra robota.
Pozdrawiam.

  • Great 
  • Wanda1 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1113 W: 10 N: 1275] (6929)
  • [2007-11-18 21:10]

Hi Andrzej,
I like your low point of view here to capture this magnificent and old plant. Light is wonderful and so are the details.
Regards
Wanda

  • Great 
  • sayat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 543 W: 4 N: 268] (2421)
  • [2007-11-19 10:33]

Fantastic photo and a great capture Dear Andrzej. Your light management is really good; great soft colors.

The subject itself is totally amazing and thanks for the great info.

Witaj my frend...from all your beauty's today is select this one..is perfect for me...many rgrds amigo i see you soon

nf

Hi, Andrzej -

Although today's photo first caught my eye, I like this one even more. Good use of light, great diagonals and positioning. You really get a sense here of how life hangs on in the harsh desert.

Witam Andrzej,
piekny surowy krajobraz ozywiony przez ta rosline,super kolory i kadr,pozdrawiam,
Jurek

Hi Andrzej,
Perfectly framed shot showing these peculiar plants in their natural desert environment. Very nice warm light. They are amazing.
Kari

hi..
wonderful documentation with a great note..I learn and saw a new thing from you...very best wishes...subir

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