Codon royenii youth brigade

Codon royenii can form strong stands as seen here near the Quiver Tree Forest between Loeriesfontein and Nieuwoudtville. These young plants are mostly still unbranched, erect and large-leaved, all appearing to be of fairly similar age and thriving.

When thresholds of acceptable germination and young plant take-off are high as in harsh and arid regions like Namaqualand, this phenomenon could be common: A particular plant species capitalises suddenly in numbers when the rare, favourable conditions arrive after the seeds have been waiting for years; and wait years more to repeat the performance.

Annihilation of young plants may also form part of local threats to a particular species, maturation after a multitude of seedlings the preserve of the lucky few or strongest specimens. C. royenii is likely a hardy survivor, this newly occupied spot its domain for a long time to come.