Heavy Tuftweed

Heavy Tuftweed
Creator	Squidy
Information
Status	Extant
Common Name(s)	Heavy Tuftweed
Zones	K
Roles	Producer
Classification
Genus	Aruraherba
Species	Aruraherba haberefortis
Evolution
Date	June 17th, 2019
Ancestor	Aruraherba caesicoles
Descendants	No results

Oculolophus subterraneus, driven underground by competition and predation from O. panivore, began burrowing around and consuming the roots of Aruraherba caesicoles. Caesicoles, relying on its root system for stability, sharing nutrients, and reproduction, was negatively affected. In response, it has evolved dramatically thicker roots that are too large for O. subterraneus to break apart, resulting in the new species Aruraherba haberefortis.

Growing up to 45 centimeters tall (45cm), haberefortis features thick, firm roots with a diameter of up to 3 centimeters (3cm). The roots are covered with many short root hairs, which help with nutrient and water uptake in response to the root system's decreased spread. The root system is generally shallow, usually only penetrating at most 10 centimeters (10cm) into the soil. Despite this, the polyph is able to remain stable due to the strength and weight of its roots, further supported by the network of runners connected to it.

Like its ancestor, haberefortis is photosynthetic, and producers via its fluffy seed pods that grow on the tips of its leaves that get carried away by the wind, as well as through runners. Nutrients are shared between polyphs connected by runners, which are just as thick as the rest of the roots. Rather than one runner producing a single new polyph, many polyphs will grow along the same runner.

Haberefortis takes a very long time to grow. Polyphs started from seed generally remain very small until they get their root system established, which can take several weeks. Polyphs growing off of runners are able to grow much more quickly due to sharing nutrients with the parent.