Welwitschia is a monotypic genus of gymnosperm plant, comprising solely the very distinct Welwitschia mirabilis. In English the plant commonly is known simply as Welwitschia. It has various common names in local languages, for example kharos or khurub in Nama, tweeblaarkanniedood in Afrikaans, nyanka in Damara, and onyanga in Herero. It is the only genus of the family Welwitschiaceae and order Welwitschiales, in the division Gnetophyta.