Welwitschia mirabilis many male cones

Numerous salmon-coloured, oblong male cones have grown on this Welwitschia mirabilis (male) plant in its Namib Desert habitat. Candidates for single ticket tours to Mars should visit this place for final consideration of the wisdom of their choice. And at least see W. mirabilis, for the Martian mirabilis is totally inorganic.

Small amounts of nectar containing about 50 percent sugar is produced in the male flowers, as in the female ones. This happens here in the sterile, modified pistil-like structure present beside the fertile male component. The insect pollination in W. mirabilis is unusual in gymnosperms. This may relate to the bridging position of this plant species between gymnosperms and angiosperms.

The concave stem top or woody crown in the centre of the plant is here elevated a short distance above-ground. The two broad leaves grow from the margins around the central dry part. The peduncles of the clusters of male cones also emerge from the margins of the stem top immediately above the leaves (Mannheimer and Curtis, (Eds.), 2009; iNaturalist; Wikipedia; https://pza.sanbi.org).