Pathvine - Tumblr Posts
The penultimate batch of flowers! Look forward to the last one tomorrow. :)
Jara Flora While glass-like plants usually grow in Crescent Minoria, many of them can also be cultivated in the shady Great Buddy Forest. The Jara Flora is one example of this. While usually found in Crescent Minoria, it was brought over and cultivated here. Jara Flora can make convenient storage and can be tied up by means of the tendrils on the plant's sepals. Usually though a little extra work is needed to make the jar waterproof, but since the petals are made of a sort of malleable glass-like material, sometimes the petals just need to be pressed together tightly and hardened, but a little sap between and over the petal seams can go a long way. Generally though they're used as dry storage unless for vases, in which case the former process is used. Even without doing anything though, they can usually maintain small amounts of water fairly well. Waterbubbles are often stored in Jara Flora to bring home, or else carry for a walk without needing to worry about accidentally breaking them.
Clusteria The fruits are favored in jams. Raw they can be pretty tart, tasting a bit like strawberry, blackberry or grape depending on the ripeness and season. They are usually found in northwestern Amicaia, as well as deep south beyond the mountains, near or on the border of Laykia Layna. Left unattended, though, the ones on the border don't grow quite as well as the ones up north, which can be left pretty much unattended.
Lulia Pathvine One of the three types of Pathvines. Here and there across JI grow enormous vines, bridging land and sky. They are hubs for travelers going up to Sky Buddy World or down to the land, in this case, Wing Alayna. They are meeting places, since are easy to spot; landmarks, and ancient plants that have seen many come and go, and survived many a Buddy-Shadow War. Powercloud drivers get a lot of their business near Pathvines, as a climb up the vine alone is arduous at least and impossible at best. Pathvines also serve to bridge the cultures of Winged Amicans and the non-winged, representing harmony. All in all, it's common knowledge that if you want to get to Sky Amicaia, find a Pathvine. You can either get a ride up from there, or have a little fun climbing a giant vine and then probably getting a ride anyway once you've given up trying to scale it by yourself.
Furubara & Stafflant For a long time, the Furubara (left) and Stafflant (right) were considered to be one plant, called the Furubara Stafflant. However, research has come out that this is not the case... in some cases. Reports have come out about Furubara vines growing from Stafflant plants, so the issue may be more complicated than first supposed. However, the two plants are rarely if ever seen growing apart, particularly naturally. The current consensus is that they are strongly symbiotic plants that either can merge or appear to be merged together at times. Whatever the consensus, though, the Furubara is enjoyable for its sweet and yet spicy, cinnamon-like taste. The Stafflant does not have the best taste, but can definitely be used as a more durable water supply than a Waterbubble fruit, though it can crush when pressed enough. If bits of the Stafflant head are sweetened, they are not terrible in a salad.
Yelia Belia A rain-gathering flower that grows during the rainy season. Its flower can be detached and used as storage. It will continue growing back as long as the rainy season lasts, but once it ends, the flower closes up, so it's customary to leave its flower be at the end of the rainy reason. But for those who've brought their own containers, the flower can be easily tipped to fill them up as much as needed. It is said the flower survives on affection when rain water is scarce, allowing Amicans to take as much water from it as they need, so long as they care for it.
Lifi Kleeflower This lily pad-like flower has a very sweet center, that, when the inside of it is exposed to air, quickly hardens into a crystal-like shape. However, it can be melted down and made into a syrup, though usually other ingredients are added to keep it from crystallizing again when it cools. The petals are mostly decorative, but they do have a mildly sweet taste, so they can make an interesting garnish on a desert, especially crystallized in a thin coat of its bud's syrup. The petals keep fairly well as well, so they are even occasionally seen in costumes made or worn by the fashionable Spinning Amicans. The syrup could technically also be used to sculpt the flowers into non-eating decorations, but with their sweet taste they probably wouldn't last long.
Rolawayva Pichi This plant is well-known for both its leaves and its fruit. The Pichi fruit tastes like a sweet peach, but with a hint of banana around the stripes. The leaves, though usually tasteless on their own, make great wraps, though they may need to be softened a little first as raw can taste a bit rubbery unless you get them young or grow them just right. Nevertheless, if you ever get a wrap in Buddy World, you're likely get something rolled in a Rola leaf.
Patternias
A rare, exotic flower found in the recesses of Furheart Iiah, the depths of Warminia Songlianne, and a rare sighting indeed in Amicaia, Wing Alayna. Highly sought after for its patterned petals, which, when consumed by Fashion Buddys, enable them to produce patterned thread. Which pattern depends on the petal consumed, and there are many different combinations that can be made by consuming multiple. It can get a little unpredictable if you're after a lot of thread, so patterned petals are often saved and traded among the Fashion Buddys depending on who needs what pattern.
Crescia Yoruana A slow-growing, nocturnal plant that grows in shady places such as forests and under overhangs. Though its crescents may fool you into thinking it grows in Crescent Minoria, you'd be surprised to find it only on select islands near it, and looking quite different. Yoruanas that grow close to C.M. get glassy stems and leaves, and if they bear fruit at all, they are much harder, though still tasty if boiled soft. The most common place to find them is Wing Alayna, and even then they're quite rare. There have been some sightings of it on islands near Furheart Iiah, as well, but these also take on some different characteristics, throwing skepticism on the idea that the islandic Gapponian variant of the plant is even the same species at all, or only a plant that is either related or looks similar. Either way, if you can get your hands on the elusive plant and its fruit, you'll find quite the dish can be made from it if you're feeling particularly decadent. Also called the Night Spotil, it shares many of its traits with the renowned staple fruit, though some say it tastes more melon-like than the more appley Spotil. The ones near Crescent Minoria, if you find one soft enough or steam it lightly, taste almost like jellybeans. Others of the Wing Alayna variety have been reported to be more grape-like in flavor, and some think it has to do with the phase of the moon or the time of year when it grows. Either way, its glowing crescents (which can also be half moons, full moons and so forth depending on when these spots form) hold their phosphorescent quality even after being cooked, so many a fantastic and delicious dish can be made merely by using the spots and some of the flesh as an addition to any dish that you want to be absolutely radiant when prepared... quite literally.
Holo Senia Usually found near water. Found in Koraln Sing and parts of Wing Alayna. Its hollow center allows it to send and receive its windblown pollen and seeds easier, which is especially important in Wing Alayna where they are scarce. The petals and leaves are often used for tea, and the petals in particular give a slightly sour taste to an otherwise mild tea.
And today we've got some megaflora! Keep reading for more info on this big guy!
Grippanala Pathvine
One of three main types of Pathvines, they are large vines that reach all the way up to Sky Buddy World, making a bridge between the land and sky. Winged Buddys and power cloud services can usually be found here, ready to help you on you're way up. Some adventurous sorts may try to climb the vine themselves or with a group, but it's generally still recommended to go via powercloud--much more enjoyable when you can sit back and enjoy the scenery!
The Grippanala Pathvine is distinguished by the grooves all over the surface of the vine, making it the easiest of the three to climb... in theory. Some may argue that Twis-Tias are superior, but that's a story for another time.
Pathvines can be found sparsely in Wing Alayna. There are even said to be a few found growing from the sea or on remote islands.
Elemin Dariana on Young Pura Pathvine
A creeping, flowering vine that can be found sparsely throughout JI. Though it has a preference for dry weather, it is a tenacious vine that can thrive in just about anything. That said, grass tends to out-compete it, so it's rarely found in the wild, much less without support. It is thought to have originated on a northern Fuline Ah island or perhaps a south Reline Ah one, but it is best known for its presence on the Reline Ah continent as a domestic vine. Despite its hardy nature, it takes careful pruning and care to thrive.
The Elemin Dariana is the namesake of one of the first Flower Buddys, Elderflower, and for that reason, Elemin Darias are often called Elderflowers in Reline Ah.
In their early phases, the flower buds have a nutty, almondy flavor. When they bloom, their flavor changes to more of a sweet, faint licorice taste. The stems have a much stronger licorice taste and texture, though since the flower is rather rare, tea and candy made from parts of the plant are rarely served outside of Reline Ah.
A fully mature Pura Pathvine has yet to be discovered. There is even some question as to whether or not they are Pathvines at all or simply a different kind of megaflora, or perhaps even a dwarf species of Pathvine. Still others say that Pura Pathvines are very special, and when fully grown, connect to a dimension that has never before been discovered. Some proponents of the dwarf theory agree that Pura Pathvines have a connection to other dimensions, but instead merely act as gateposts or landmarks, growing near the gate to one, or even acting as the gate itself. Which ever theory is correct, there is still much to be discovered about Pura Pathvines. Known specimens include one in Reline Ah, featured here, and two others, one found between Furheart Iiah, Reline Ah and Batulia Songlianne out at sea, and another between the south coast of Crescent Minoria and Warminia Songlianne. As more specimens are discovered, researchers expect to have a better grasp on the nature of these Pura Pathvines.
Twis-Tia Pathvine
The Twis-Tia Pathvine is the third of the main three types of Pathvine, which are large vines that act as pathways between the ground and sky, specifically Wing Alayna and Sky Buddy World for the ones that can be found there. Twis-Tia Pathvines can be found in west Wing Alayna by the Great Buddy River and several other locations out to sea.