Floratober 2024 - Tumblr Posts

Klaudileria

An illusive relative of the Clusteria, the Klaudileria was first discovered in a cloud pocket at the gate between the Storm Dimension and Sky Buddy World. Since then, it has been surmised that the plant prefers to grow in areas like this where it will have more access to diffuse light than it would in the deeper, stormier parts of its home dimension.

Lotiana

A type of Varia Maria found only on Bilone Bien Island, which is the largest island of the Fuline Ah archipelago. It is thought that the roots burrow down into an underground reservoir below the island, as the plant carries many characteristics of some aquatic plants despite growing on land. Though it seems to have adapted for land, it is thought that ancestors of the plant once grew lilypads and were found in lakes and even at sea.

Saturna Petalina

A rare flower found on a small island in the Lolan Shii Ocean between Crescent Minoria and Furheart Iiah. It is said to mark the gate between the Ring Realm and the rest of the world.

Spadia Quatera

A possible relative of the Crespetalia, the Spadia Quatera was found on an island in the southwest corner of the Lolan Shii Ocean between Cresent Minoria and Warminia Songlianne, but outside the influence of the Warminia Girina Ocean surrounding the latter. While the island is thought to be the location of a gate to the Starcloud Realm, unlike the Saturna Petalina, Spadia Quateras do not seem to point to any one particular spot as the gate, instead growing profusely on the island. Whether this means that the gate is the entire island or that Spadia Quateras simply indicate a general location rather than marking an exact one is not yet known, but the fact remains that Spadia Quateras have a strong connection to the Starcloud Realm and are influenced by it, along with the entire island they are found on.

Magna Submariana

There is currently only one known specimen of the Magna Submariana, and it exists in the Great Buddy Lake. It is thought to be as old as the lake itself and to hold some great significance to it. Though its role is not fully understood, its other name is Magna Cortiana, and historical records refer to it as "The Heart of the Great Buddy Lake." Locals revere it and dare not touch it, believing calamity may befall the lake were anything to happen to the Magna Submariana deep within it.

Hariana Kanmia

The Hariana Kanmia is said to be the origin of all the other Hariana species, including Hariana Stratasa (featured here around the Hariana Kanmia). There is only one known Kanmia, and similar to how the Magna Subariana is thought to be the heart of the Great Buddy Lake, the Kanmia is thought to be the heart of all other Harianas, and if something were to befall it, calamity would befall the entire genus. This is of course speculation, but it keeps the lone specimen protected from careless Kitonyas, Neonyas, and children nonetheless.

The Hariana Kanmia can be found only in Fuline Ah, deep in the continent in a field of other Hariana species, such as plain Harianas, Stratasas and Blosomas.

Twis-tia Petalia

Twis-tia Petalias were a once wild flowers that have been cultivated to grow in all sorts of different colors. The flower produces a nectar that hardens when exposed to air, producing a hard-candy-like substance within its flowers. The Twis-tia Petalia's close relative, the Sweetea Bundalia, does something similar, but has been cultivated to produce a hardening chocolate-like nectar instead of the honey-like substance that Twis-tia Petalias produce. As efforts to increase the number of Twis-tia Petalia and Sweetea Bundalia in JI continue, their delicious fruits can be expected to spread around JI as well.

Bubblia (& Perloa)

Directly adjoining the Storm Dimension from beneath, there appears to be a previously unknown area of air sea. The air is so thick here it acts similar to a low-density ocean.

The first species to be recorded in this new area is the Bubblia. It would appear that the plant's smaller bubbles move about the surface of its larger one.

In some specimens, these bubbles followed a strict ring pattern, gliding about the surface of the nucleus bubble as a whole with the angle of this movement changing at random intervals. Whether the bubbles move clockwise or counter-clockwise seems to be connected to the water-air currents, switching when there's a shift in the current.

In other, larger specimens, these satellite bubbles were observed to each have their own path, which like the previously documented specimens, only switched their clockwise/counter-clockwise direction when the air-water currents shifted.

The the first type of specimens have been dubbled Ringia Bubblias. These were observed to have smaller central bubbles than the larger specimens with freer satellites.

Whether Ringia Bubblias are their own separate species or merely a juvenile version of the larger specimen type is still a topic of much debate, as there has yet to be observed any juveniles behaving like the larger specimen type.

On the one hand, there has been no noticeable change in behavior pattern of the known Ringia Bubblia specimens since their initial discovery. This does not discredit the notion of a maturation event still being on the horizon for any one of them, nor does it negate the possibility that the larger specimens are genetically nonviable offshoots of the Ringia Bubblia species, as it has yet to be observed how these larger specimens reproduce.

On the other, there are many indicators that Ringia Bubblias are the descendants of the larger specimens and not the other way around. For one thing, the larger specimens show evidence of being much older than the Ringias. The large specimens often have a somewhat central position in their patch, and tend to only exist in the singular per patch. This would give credence to the idea that the Ringias are desendants.

However, it still does not explain the behavioral differences and the fact that no Ringia has been observed maturing into the larger specimen type.

One hypothesis states that the larger specimen type acts as a sort of a queen or ruler over the smaller Ringias. This would explain why there can only be one large specimen type per patch.

It is also hypothesized that each satellite bubble on the larger specimen type corresponds to the movement of a ring somewhere in the patch, but this has yet to be sufficiently backed up with evidence.

Other than these two primary specimens, there has been another feature observed in Bubblia patches, and that is the presence of one of a third type of specimen, the Perloa, in every patch.

Unlike the first two, Perloas do not appear to be too closely related to either specimen type. They grow an opaquer, solider sphere in lieu of bubble nucleus and appear to maintain petal-like bracts even after fruiting. No external flowers were observed in either of the two Bubblia specimen types, and the primary bubble in each one seemed to form almost in place of sepals just below the base of flowers. Bubblias are thought to be related to Aquabulla genus by various points of evidence, and it is currently hypothesized that Perloas may be a hybird of the Perloa Alnia and Yura Aquabulla based on its appearance. However, this is at best speculation, and it is not yet clear if there really is a direct connection between the two species, or if they merely bear a resemblance to both and have a more indirect connection to the Aquabullas, much less the Perloa Alnias.

The fruit of the Perloa is not thought to be edible, but from their shiny appearance, it is thought they could become a collector's item in the future. This difference in taste is sometimes brought up as an argument against their being closely related to the Perloa Alnia, despite them both sharing the word "Perloa" in their name.

Heleh Lifurloa

If the Clera Fula signifies the start of the rainy season, the Heleh Lifurloa signifies the end. Its root system works tirelessly to help drain the land and stabilize the ground in the wake of the rainy season. In the dry months, however, it's nowhere to be seen. By what process it disappears has yet to be directly observed, but in particularly wet years when the Heleh Lifurloas are far and few in between, they are sometimes seen all year round, vanishing only when the ground around it is sufficiently drained.

It has long, string-like sticky pistils with which to collect wind-blown pollen as Heleh Lifurloas tend not to grow close together. It stores water in its stem, leaves, petals and tubers, which, aside from the petals, all share a glassy appearance. The leaves and tubers swell the more water they collect and shrink as the plant uses it up. The tubers can be shaped to create beautiful, decorative pieces. The leaves and stems are not so easily manipulated, but nevertheless make elegant, decorative pieces if caught before their mysterious disappearance.

The corolla is sometimes plucked to be used as a decorative container, similar to a Jara Flora. The nectar is used to sweeten tea themed around the flower during the Tea Festival. The leaves, stem and tubers can be melted and boiled down to create a slightly sweet syrup as well, but as the initial melted plant is full of water, it usually takes quite a while to boil it down to a syrup, and few parts of the plant are edible without processing. The pistils are trimmed and used to add a sweet, herbal note to tea themed around the plant.

Amanomi Noyabu

In addition to the Air Sea, a type of rain forest was also discovered deep down in the Storm Dimension's cloud layer. The primary specimen we'll be observing is the Amanomi Noyabu, otherwise known as the Wild Rainberry Bush. The berries in question are only faintly sweet and dye the mouth dark blue when eaten, leading to it also being named the Inkberry Rainbush, or Suminomi Amayabu. Its ink-like qualities may mean Inkpetal Dyenas will soon have a rival on the market for ink and dyeing products.

Orbitania

The Orbitania is one of several specimens noted in last year's expedition to Hoshimi Island. From its dark stem color, a hypothesis has been put forth that it may originate from the Flyona line. Other evidence to support this idea is the faintly gummy, licorice-like taste of the stem, a trait which proper Flyona stems have in full. It would seem that other Hoshimi Island flora have a much stronger influence on it than any possible connections to the Flyona line, as its flowers share many of the characteristics of small, creeping vine flowers that were found growing near specimens such as the Spirra Starra, and its fruit bears resemblance to that of a Münlala Spikalif's. As far as the taste of the fruit goes, it was deemed unideal for eating. Like the Münlala's fruit, it proved to be hollow with a light fuzz over top. Light appears to emanate from this skin layer and not the inside, same as its relative's produce. Inside it is a small, dark flower. The fruit can be squeezed to produce water, but isn't particularly flavorful. The yellow petals, however, were noted to have a distinct sour note. The roots have a distinct spicy, radish-like taste when properly washed and prepared, though the upper root layer tends to be more like the stem.

Dangoya Mi a.k.a. Manmo Chimiya

Deeper exploration of the Reline Ah dimension (otherwise known as the Flower Buddy dimension) has revealed the existence of a misty land heated by geothermal heat on the border between it and the Fire Dimension. One plant that thrives here is the Dangoya Mi, or Manmo Chimiya. Its fruit, warmed by the ground, is piping hot and has a sticky consistency like that of a rice cake. When dried and fired, it can be drawn on, and residents of the land have been seen using them as decorations that way. As its taste is also similar to a sticky rice cake, it can be enjoyed as a savory item as well. The leaves that grow sheltering the fruit prove to be an artful decoration whether for use in serving or framing the dried fruit.

Lara Münara

A relative of the Münlala Spikalif and Orbitania, the Lara Münara boasts of larger flowers than the latter and more Lar-like fruit than the former. The taste of its stem is distinctly plant-like, though it tastes slightly like that of an Omu-omu Plantai as well. The flowers make wonderful decorations, but are generally not used for more than decoration or garnish in when it comes to eating. They don't taste bad, but they don't have much a taste to speak of either.

The fruit is similar to that of the Münlala Spikalif and the Orbitania, but with less of a downy layer to it and a little more of a glass-like crunch to it. If it grew any closer to the mainland, it's possible the fruit would display more transparency as well.

Higehige Plant

A houseplant domesticated in Reline Ah, the Higehige Plant was first discovered as a wild vine that grew along the ground. With a little care, it came to be cultivated indoors. As Reline Ah can be rather rainy, watering it is often as easy as setting the flowerpot outside for a bit. Due to the long dry seasons in northern Wing Alayna, it never quite took off there, and remains to be something enjoyed only by the resident Flower Buddys of Reline Ah.