Reproduction
Hoodia gordonii can live
between fifteen to twenty years.
The plant does not start to grow any flowers
until it is four to six years old.
Flowers do not form unless their conditions are
optimal. The plant needs enough water and nutrients for flowers to occur.
The flowers of Hoodia gordonii rely on flies for pollination (read the Interactions page for more information).
The flowers produce what are called seed
follicles ( look at "Structures" on the Adaptation
page) after one month of producing its flowers. The seed follicles
contain seeds that burst open after two or three months. After the follicles
burst open, the seeds are then blown around by the wind. These seeds
generally germinate in the presence of another plant near by (like
xerophytic
bushes for example), where the seed can be protected.
Flies are the main pollen carries for Hoodia gordonii
Here is a typical lifecycle for an angiosperm (a flowering plant):
