|
Desert relic by Jen Guyton by Germany/US — winner, Plants and Fungi. The cones of a female welwitschia reach for the skies over the Namib Desert. These desert survivors have an extraordinary biology. Male and female plants both produce distinctive cones. Each plant comprises just two leaves, a stem base and a tap root. The woody stem stops growing at the apex but widens with age, forming a concave disc, but the two original seedling leaves continue to grow, gradually splitting and fraying. The largest specimens span more than 8 metres (26 feet) and may be 1,000 years old or more. (Photo by Jen Guyton/2018 Wildlife Photographer of the Year)
|
