Lasiosiphon polycephalus is a plant of the arid inland of South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. Not only is it found in sandy soil where the rainfall is notably low, it also presents flowers during the hot weather in the midst of drought. 

The almost leafless stems higher up and the yellow of the flowers resemble the western European shrub called broom (Cytisus scoparius) that also flowers in Spain when there is no rain.

The near absence of foliage makes the thin green stems perform the required photosynthesis. The strong taproot sources moisture from deep underground, allowing L. polycephalus to present a flowering appearance in drought periods when all else is hanging in for dear life with no hope of flowering (Shearing and Van Heerden, 2008; Gledhill, 1981; Vahrmeijer, 1981).