Ficus cordata subsp. cordata, the Namaqua rock fig

Namaqualand also harbours the occasional oasis where trees such as Ficus cordata subsp. cordata manage to reach water below the often dry riverbeds, perching among rocks in sandy soil. These trees may not be common, but once they get a grip, they may grow old, big and popular for their generous shade against the summer heat.

The fruits are pretty and edible, although they offer little to humans. Still, they perform for hungry birds and some animals. People who know the veld and its edible plants can live off a large variety of veld fruit. The San people, for instance, did this effectively in the sparse veld of the arid west, their (nomadic) numbers being low and they still had little competition from more invasive human lifestyles.