Crooksoluis mollicaulis

Crooksoluis mollicaulis
Creator	OviraptorFan
Information
Status	Extant
Zones	15, D
Roles	Producer
Classification
Genus	Crooksoluis
Species	Crooksoluis mollicaulis
Evolution
Date	June 15th, 2021
Ancestor	Crooksoluis yellionuis
Descendants	Crooksoluis aquacaulis

3 cm tall
Originated in Zones D and 15

As Crooksoluis yellionuis thrived in Zone D, they began to feel competition among themselves for space and any adaptations that allowed them to avoid this selective pressure became beneficial. This would lead to some populations being gradually pushed into Zone 15, thus having to experience being partially underwater. This would lead to the evolution of Crooksoluis mollicaulis, a species adapted to handle being underwater at least part of the time.

The largest differences Crooksoluis mollicaulis have compared to their ancestors are their extensive root systems. These roots, being about 2-3 centimeters wide and growing 5-6 centimeters down, help anchor them into the soil when underwater to avoid being carried away. Additionally, these larger root systems mean a larger surface area to collect nutrients from the soil. This allows them to better handle areas where the soil quality is poor, where their ancestors and competition don’t fair as well. An additional problem this species had was getting water and oxygen from the roots to the leaves and then the other way around when underwater. To counter this issue, the species developed a solution similar to their distant cousins in zone C1 (Crooksoluis amfivios specifically) by having air-filled channels inside of their stem to allow oxygen to diffuse to the bottom of the polyph more efficiently. To provide enough energy to grow the advanced roots and air-filled chambers, the stem has become shorter. To act as protection against local herbivores, such as members of the genus Aquerrasuchus, Crooksoluis mollicaulis has the thorns still present. All of these adaptations do mean the polyph takes a really long time to grow, around 6 months or so.

While they do still partially photosynthesize with their short stem, Crooksoluis mollicaulis primarily relies on their two leaves to gather light. The seed pod still bursts open once the seeds are fully developed, which are then carried by their rigid root structures in the air until they land somewhere else along the river system. While they can grow fine away from the rivers, competition with other polyph species in those regions often results in them getting outcompeted. Meanwhile, seeds that plant in the river itself may not get enough sunlight to grow and thus are restricted to the shallows of Zone 15 along with the watershed surrounding the river system. After the seed pod bursts open, it takes the parent about 3 months to fully regrow it and develop the new seeds inside.