Leucadendron uliginosum late, stem-base growth

This male Leucadendron uliginosum plant with strong, central stem has belatedly grown side-branches near the base, some of which having flowered.

Single-stemmed, these plants cannot resprout after fire. They regrow from seed, taking their turn in new fynbos veld a season or more later than resprouting species. And, of course, the annuals of the area also flourish in the years of short, young veld before the big shrubs deprive them of sunlight. To achieve this the seeds have to last for many years in some cases.

Dioecious plants like the leucandendrons bear their male and female flowers on different bushes. Such plants are slower to appear in new regions, as both plants have to flower in an area before seed can be set there.

Other members of the Proteaceae family like proteas and pincushions differ from this, bearing bisexual flowers that only require one seed to be dropped for the species to be launched in a new region (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2007; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist).