Night is near

Dichotomous branching means forking into two equal rosettes. In tree aloes only the stem-tip leaves are retained in the repeated branching, the lower, old leaves shed as they wither, leaving pale, smooth stems. This is a distinctive part of the Aloidendron growth habit, resulting in the characteristic, finger-like branch ends, silhouetted in picture.

The Quiver Tree Forest ends in the foreground on the plain in picture. The mountains in the distance and land beyond bear only the occasional quiver tree in the sporadic distribution typical of much of Namaqualand.