How do ephemeral desert plants grow and reproduce after rainstorms?

Ephemeral plants are short-lived species that survive harsh, dry desert conditions by remaining dormant as seeds in the soil seed bank for years or even decades.12

When a significant rainstorm occurs, these plants utilize specific mechanisms to trigger their life cycle:

• Germination: The seeds of many ephemeral species possess coats containing growth inhibitors that are washed away only by a copious amount of water. This ensures that the seeds do not sprout after a brief, insufficient shower that would not provide enough moisture to complete their development.3
• Rapid Growth: Once triggered by adequate moisture, these plants germinate immediately and grow quickly, taking advantage of the temporary availability of water.1
• Reproduction: Ephemeral plants race through their entire life cycle—flowering and setting seed—within a matter of weeks, or sometimes just two to three weeks, before the soil dries out and the return of extreme heat or drought makes survival impossible.14

By completing their reproduction before the moisture is depleted, these plants ensure the survival of the next generation of seeds, which will remain dormant until the next ideal conditions arise.12