Guioa

The seedlings of Guioa semiglauca are rare in most years. Then, about one year in seven and at the end of November the trees produce prolific seed in a coordinated way. Perhaps a particular weather pattern stimulates seeding. The year 2014 was a boom year for guioas, producing thousands of seedlings like the one shown here.

If the weather is wet and the soil moist, seed is very quick to germinate. But in a dry year, it quickly dies and doesn't persist in the soil. Birds disperse it while eating the orange aril that surrounds the seed.