Nivenia stokoei after flowering

After blooming this is what remains of the once spectacular blue flower cluster. Green fruits are forming and changing colour, while the last of petal remains are gradually being discarded.

Plants such as Nivenia stokoei with woody rootstocks or caudices, survive fynbos fires and resprout with some head start over reseeders. Mountainside habitat, such as that enjoyed by N. stokoei, provides additional protection among the rocks for the roots against especially the fast veld fires driven by strong winds.

All fires generate their own winds, but the Cape Doctor, the strong south-easterly wind of the dry season, does much to push fires along. This allows for the underground, durable parts of resprouting species to resurface soon after the devastation.