On the Welwitschia Mirabilis. 425 



attached to the Livingstone expedition, and who had since "been 

 exploring Damaraland, transmitted to Kew a case of specimens 

 and drawings illustrating the vegetation of the country, and also 

 some cones, which, together with the assistance of the sketches, 

 Dr. Hooker immediately identified as those of the extraordinary 

 plant in question. Mr. Baines would appear to have travelled 

 after Dr. Welwitsch across the same tract of country, and 

 there likewise to have found the plant; and, though being 

 quifce unacquainted with botanical science, but struck by the 

 peculiar appearance, to have sketched it, and obtained some of 

 the cones. These, however, were in such a bad state from 

 being packed when moist, that they did not furnish sufficient 

 evidence to found an accurate botanical description upon, and 

 Mr. Barnes's sketch was that of an artist rather than a 

 botanist — or, as Dr. Hooker says, more artistic than scientific. 

 Dr. Welwitsch' s materials, as well as various other specimens 

 from friends of Dr. Hooker's in that part of Africa, in answer 

 to his letters, soon after arrived at Kew, and so fell into the 

 best hands for a careful examination and classification. Dr. 

 Hooker being requested by Dr. Welwitsch to undertake 

 this task, which he did, naming the plant "Welwitschia 

 mirabilis," in honour of its discoverer. The result of Dr. 

 Hooker's labours was the subject of one of the most interesting 

 papers ever read before the Linnsean Society; and in its 

 published form, together with fourteen carefully executed 

 plates — the expense of which was defrayed out of the annual 

 Parliamentary grant to the Royal Society for scientific pur- 

 poses — occupied one entire number of the Linnasan Society's 

 Transactions. 



The nature of the soil where these plants are found is 

 sandy, hard, and parched, as little or no rain ever falls upon 

 that part of the plain, and scarcely any other vegetation exists. 

 Dr. Hooker, however, says, upon the authority of Mr. Galton, 

 " that though rain never falls, the night dews are so heavy, 

 that a small party of men, residing on the coast, is supplied 

 thereby with water throughout the year." 



As we have before said, the Welwitschia rises not more 

 than a foot or so from the surface of the ground, and may, 

 therefore, be called a dwarf tree. The roots which branch 

 just below the stock penetrate several feet into the ground, 

 and so firmly fix themselves, that it was found a very difficult 

 matter to dig up a plant with the entire root. The point of 

 junction between the root and the stock is, in many of the 

 specimens, very marked. The stock in some becoming suddenly 

 larger, or swollen at the point where the root ends, but in 

 others it tapers off towards the root. This appears to be 

 the case more particularly in the younger plants, and would 



