– Fockea (2012)

By Chris Deem (May 2012)

Animism was a set of beliefs from a more innocent time. It was a time of nature spirits. These spirits were seldom seen, but they were known in many lands. They were the souls of the waters and the winds, the souls of the plants and the animals.

A xerophyte is a plant that has evolved to survive in a habitat that is arid. Xerophyte is a word that caught my eye as I was researching.

Not comprised of a large number of species, Fockea is a member of the family Asclepiadaceae. There was a great deal of information in the books spread across my desk about the genus.

Names, harsh and exotic, like Angola and Zimbabwe were listed as their homelands. Also listed, vast vague areas, just called southern Africa.

In general, these plants have vines and small flowers, but they are most often grown for their interestingly shaped caudices. There was a great deal of information in the books, even the correct spelling of xerophyte, but I didn’t read anymore.

I looked at a picture of a fockea in a book. To me, its caudex looked like an animal, perhaps a little goat. For a moment, I thought I saw more, something from long before. Then alas, it was gone. So in a pensive mood, I closed the book and daydreamed of a more innocent time.

To see the picture, look in Pachyforms 2, page 163.