The species was noted in Karkur Talh and Wadi Handal following the rains of 2005. It appeared sporadically in the lower course of Karkur Talh, and became abundant in the rocky upper sections of both wadis. The 2005 growth was observed to be alive and flowering in October 2006 in both valleys at Uweinat, though in a very transformed state, with very small and tightly clustered leaves, on first look appearing to be two different species. In much of the upper courses of Karkur Talh, it became the dominant species in 2006 together with Fagonia indica, and formed the bulk of the fresh growth in the rain affected areas. Remnant growth was also noted by Alessandro Menardi-Noguera on the Emeri highland in April 2006. Some individuals survived in Karkur Talh in green state up to March 2007.

Two individuals were also noted in the central section of Wadi Abd el Melik in March 2007, in a little side wadi that collected some very localised rainfall. The species formed a very small portion of the fresh growth, the dominant species were Fagonia arabica and Astragalus vogelii. The conditions for growth must have been very marginal, the fresh plants were in a dryer state than the Karkur Talh individuals a year after the rainfall.

Middle Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), in sandy wadi bed, dominated by Tribulus pentandrus, 18th October, 2005

Morettia philaeana intermingled with Tribulus pentandrus in central Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), 18th October, 2005				Upper Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), 20th October, 2005
Upper Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), in dried basins among rocks, intermingled with Schouwia thebaica, 18th/20th October, 2005

Morettia philaeana in upper Wadi Handal (Jebel Uweinat), intermingled with Pulicaria incisa, 23rd October, 2005

Emmeri highland (Jebel Uweinat), April 2006, in foreground, with semi-dry Schouwia thebaica. (Photos by Alessandro Menardi Noguera)

A solitary green Morettia philaeana in Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), October 2006, near the end of the 2005 rain runoff.

Remnant growth, upper Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), intermingled with Fagonia indica and Cleome crysantha, October, 2006

Fresh growth, upper Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), October 2006

Fresh growth intermingled with other new vegetation in northern side valley of upper Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), October 2006

Middle section of Wadi Handal (Jebel Uweinat), October 2006

Basin in upper section of Wadi Handal (Jebel Uweinat), October 2006				Upper nothern tributary of Wadi Handal (center foreground), October 2006

Middle Karkur Talh (Jebel Uweinat), March 2007

Morettia philaeana in a side wadi of Wadi Abd el Melik (Gilf Kebir), March 2007, a few months after a localised rainfall