Streptocarpus brachynema is one of the true endemics, found only on Mt Gorongosa and nowhere else. It almost exclusively grows on rock faces or large boulders inside the forest, usually where the locations are well shaded and moist with seepage throughout most of the year. Only in a few rare cases I have seen it grow on the trunks of larger trees. Despite the quite dramatic devastation of the mountain forests in recent years, this species still appears to be doing rather well. Apparently it can enjoy a bit more light than where it normally prefers so, as long as the substrate does not get exposed to too much wind and sun and does not completely dry out for extensive periods, the plants are still found on rocks closer to forest edges and clearings. I must say that I almost had the impression the plant is now more common than it was when I visited the mountain before, about 12-15 years ago. This may of course very well just be an illusion because the colonies of plants have only become more accessible and visible in places that were deeply hidden inside the often steep forested slopes. As the species, like many of its cousins is monocarpic, and each individual plant will die after it flowers and fruits, it remains to be seen how successful the germination of seeds will be and whether new generations will still find enough appropriate locations to grow and prosper in the longer term future.