6 Lonely Branches on the Tree of Life

When there’s only one species on an evolutionary branch, we call it a monospecific taxon. Studying these special species can help us better understand not just those sparse groups, but all life on this planet.
Chapters
Homo sapiens
0:53
Welwitschia mirabilis
2:37
4:07 ABOUT 125 MILLION YEARS AGO IN THE CRETACEOUS PERIOD, FLOWERING PLANTS EMERGED
IN ADDITION TO HAVING THOSE VESSELS WHICH HELP TRANSPORT WATER EFFICIENTLY, THE SURFACE OF EACH LEAF IS COVERED IN WAVY, WAXY GROOVES WHICH COLLECT WATER FROM RAIN, DEW, FOG & IS DIRECTED DOWN TO THE PLANT'S ROOTS
4:40
Amborella trichopoda
4:59
ONE OF THE WAYS IT DIFFERS FROM OTHER ANGIOSPERMS IS THAT IT LACKS THE WATER-MOVING VESSELS WELWITSCHIA ODDLY HAS
5:21