Prenia vanrensburgii near the end of its seasonal cycle

At the end of summer Prenia vanrensburgii has exhausted its energy resources. It then holds this treasure of stored seeds to show for the years labour. The four locules of the capsules will open to disperse small black, hopefully viable seeds.

This concludes fulfilment of life’s singular purpose for this, and almost all living organisms… the continuation of the species through the production of offspring. Humanity is the one notable exclusion, unwilling to live this simply. The brain of Homo sapiens conjures a multitude of distracting ideas concerning the meaning of life. Maybe the human brain will still master a more advanced meaning of the concept of humility.

New stems of P. vanrensburgii, also creamy yellow in colour, will ramble over these tired ones as soon as the hot season passes and winter rain brings revitalisation. Some of the seeds will grow to produce robust competition from young plants revelling in the moist, salty sands. Losers lacking in vigour for setting forth winner stems in the competition for sunlight will die, close relatives or not!