A geoxyle is a plant in which an enlarged, woody structure occurs beneath the surface of the ground.
It is thought they developed in tandem with the spread of savannahs which resulted in an increase in tall grasses which are easily flammable during the long dry season associated with the savannah climate.
[3] Some well-known examples of geoxyles are the sand apple (Parinari capensis), the plough-breaker (Erythrina zeyheri), the red wings (Combretum platypetalum) and the wild grape (Lannea edulis).
[1] Others are Ancylobothrys petersiana, Diospyros galpinii, Elephantorrhiza elephantina, Erythrina resupinata, Eugenia albanensis, Eugenia capensis, Maytenus nemorosa, Pachystigma venosum and Salacia kraussii.
[4] Their occurrence is influenced by environmental disturbances and climate seasonality, while soil fertility impacts functional types and their diversity.