Hierba megaradix
Derived from: Athanasios chloodus
Zone: E
Size: leaves up to a 1 foot long, roots up to 3 1/3 feet
With their shallow root system A. chloodus could only grow close to water which severely limited its potential of places to grow. It also could not reproduce or grow during the dry season which could lead to complete defoliation by predators. Some chloodus grew longer roots to combat the dry area they live in, and megaradix was born.
Looks: The tops of the plant look almost exactly the same as the ansestor, but the real difference is down below. The roots now grow much deeper at 3 1/3 feet long at the longest. These long roots let them grow further away from water and thus be able to colonize more land. It also allowes them to reproduce and grow during the dry season.
Eating: They are photsynthetic
Reproduction: Because of the energy they have to put into growing the roots so much longer they now grow slower then their ansestor. It takes them 3 weeks from seed to reproductive age during the wet season. During the dry season it can take just over 3 months. They mainly reproduce during the wet season, but because they can get water during the dry season now they reproduce then also. They only do this at 30% capacity of the wet season though. Although they do this the seeds don't grow until the wet season starts and they lay dormant until then. Although they take longer from seed to reproductive age they do grow much faster when established then their ansestor because of their ready access to water. This prevents them from being totally defoliated. They drop their seeds around them like their ansestor. Everything else is the same.
Defence: They are not as easily uprooted from the soil they live in because of the longer roots.