Microcaulifolium gracilistemus

Microcaulifolium gracilistemus
Creator	D̜͙̟͉ìn̨̹o̬̗C̼̮̣͡óaͅt͜
Information
Status	Extant
Zones	K, L
Roles	Producer
Classification
Genus	Microcaulifolium
Species	Microcaulifolium gracilistemus
Evolution
Date	August 13th, 2019
Ancestor	Microcaulifolium distatptera
Descendants	Body-Joining Cocktree

As Microcaulifolium distatptera were competing for sunlight in densely populated areas, height was selected for as it provided an advantage in catching sunlight for photosynthesis and helped polyphs be less likely to be overgrown. Taller individuals were thus more successful than shorter individuals and height in the species gradually increased as a result. The stem grew longer and taller, and a new species, Microcaulifolium gracilistemus, emerged.

Microcaulifolium gracilistemus grows to one-hundred fifty centimeters (150 cm) in height and most of its height comes in the stem. Other than in size, structure, and reproduction rates, Microcaulifolium gracilistemus stays relatively unchanged from its ancestor Microcaulifolium distatptera.

The roots of Microcaulifolium distatptera can grow up to fifty centimeters (50 cm) in length in order to support the size of this polyph and help to collect water from the soil. They radiate outwards from the bottom and are found sticking up above the ground, some directing towards close sources of water which gives them a bent shape. Smaller polyphs such as Aruraherba caesicoles, Humilipropogandos mossoia, and Phallucaulis flacoherbas are able to grow out within the spaces between these roots without requiring competition with the taller tree-like polyph.

Microcaulifolium gracilistemus takes around nine (9) months to mature in prime conditions. It begins to produce seeds then, but shuts down the process in winter and starts again the next spring. They do not release their first seeds until the spring of their third year due to maturing right before the winter, but continue producing seeds each year and releasing them the next until they are killed by a force such as toppling, by being uprooted, or by having a lack of water. Up to ten thousand (10,000) of these tiny seeds can be produced each year being stored in a forty-five centimeter (45 cm) deep chamber within the stem, but only a small amount of these actually have the opportunity to grow, being activated with contact to the ground and only those with viable soil that are not fed on actually grow. There are more seeds in this cocktree than in its ancestors thanks to the larger size of this polyph being able to store more, and as only a small number of seeds may turn out fortunate enough to grow. The seeds are the same size as the seeds of its ancestor, only greater in number.