Field evidence from Namibia does not support the designation of Angolan and Namibian subspecies ofWelwitschia mirabilisHook

A new study challenges the long-standing classification of Welwitschia mirabilis into Angolan and Namibian subspecies, finding no evidence to support this distinction. Analyzing five male cone characters across 13 Namibian populations and plants grown from both Angolan and Namibian seeds, researchers observed significant variation that did not align with the proposed subspecies designations. While latitudinal gradients in cone and peduncle length were detected, other traits like cone color and bract shape showed high variability within and between populations. The study suggests that W. mirabilis, an ancient gymnosperm, has likely evolved in its current range for over 100 million years with complex metapopulation dynamics. It calls for further molecular characterization to clarify the phylogenetic significance of observed variations.

Jacobson, N., Jacobson, P., van Jaarsveld, E., & Jacobson, K. (2014). Field evidence from Namibia does not support the designation of Angolan and Namibian subspecies ofWelwitschia mirabilisHook. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 69(3), 179–186. https://doi.org/10.1080/0035919x.2014.950187