Euphorbia species, a vingerpol

This compact mound of euphorbia stem-tips flaunts a lavish scattering of yellow cyathia. Several low-growing euphorbia species have been given the colloquial name of vingerpol (tuft of fingers) in Afrikaans, especially in the Karoo. They thrive on their mostly winter rain growth booster. Some suffer when transplanted into a summer rainfall area.

These plants usually have a below-ground, thick and fleshy caudex that serves as a storage facility. This is for countering climatic challenges of lengthy droughts and high temperatures typical of the Karoo and much of South African inland parts.

Suffering presents the challenge for a species to adapt. Only some succeed and it all takes a very long time, involving untold plant deaths, either before or after seed set. The tougher climate challenges become, the more diversity is threatened with only the fittest surviving until producing viable seed.

The hardship humanity inflicts on top of the "normal" challenges of nature may also hold refining long-term benefits for some species, extinction for others. Who will keep the long-term scorecard and arrive at the prizegiving ceremony?