Initial Plant Varieties of Chaundrea
Grush
Grush "Herba Humilus"
Classification: (Herba)
Location: Most of Chaundrea
Diet: Sunlight via photosynthesis utilizing Phycoerythrin
Weight: negligible
Height: 15-20 inches
Time: 0 PS to present
Grush is a grass-like plant that covers much of Chaundrea. It is extremely successful, changing little over time. It is part of the diet of many herbivorous and omnivorous creatures.
Grush is notable for its reddish colour, which is derived from its use of Phycoerythrin as opposed to Chlorophyll in more classic green plants.
Due to its success, it does not have any offshoots, and many plant niches it could have diversified into were taken by other plants. Thus, it is the sole member of the Herba family.
Vorta (Various)
Vorta "Aborvorta Tropicus (Tropical Vorta), Aborvorta Deciduous (Deciduous Vorta)"
Classification: Abora
Location: The forests of Chaundrea
Diet: Sunlight via photosynthesis using Phycoerythrin
Weight: Up to 11 tons
Height: Up to 100ft
Time: 0PS to present
Vorta are tree-like plants that occupy much the same niche. Within the genus Aborvorta are two species, Tropica and Deciduous, which occupy slightly different biomes. Tropica is more palm-like, and tends to grow to up to 60ft, with a fairly thick trunk. Deciduous is more akin to an oak, with a very thick trunk and large sprawling branches, growing up to 100ft tall.
The Aborvorta genus would diversify into various other genuses and species over time, filling many niches, but these two core species have barely changed over time. Similar to Grush, they possess striking red leaves due to their use of Phycoerythrin.
Temblick
Temblick "Putrescerus Parvus"
Classification: Mortuienduntus
Location: Most of Chauntea, except in the desert
Diet: Decomposing organic matter
Weight: 0.5-1kg
Height: 3 to 5 inches
Time: 0 to 1.6m PS
Temblick were small bud-like pseudoplants that occupied the same niche as many fungus, growing on and absorbing nutrients from decomposing organisms. They were cone-like in structure, with thin tendrils that’d burrow into whatever they were busy eating.
They would grow to full maturity after absorbing nutrients for around 2 weeks, after which the cone structure would begin emitting microscopic spores, at least some hopefully landing on other organic material, starting the cycle anew.
The species would last for over a thousand years, before other members of the Mortuieduntus family would outcompete them.
Kelgus
Kelgus (Omniforma oceanus)
Classification: Omniforma
Location: All but the deepest parts of the ocean
Diet: Sunlight
Weight: Varies
Length: Varies
Time: 0PS to Present
The Kelgus is an extraordinarily successful and interesting organism. Throughout its lifecycle it inhabits many of the various oceanic floral niches, including a microscopic plankton-like state as larvae to spongelike subadults and finally great tall seaweeds as fully grown plants.
Each stage of growth lasts a long while, with approximately a decade as larvae, to centuries as subadults and finally, the adult stage can survive for thousands of years. During the adult stage each year the Kelgus will release hundreds of spores which will develop into larvae, enough to not only act as the basis for much of the marine ecosystem but also to be able to grow into more subadult and adult Kelgi.
The Kelgus is incredibly adaptable and hardy, living through every extinction event throughout Chaundrea’s history, only minorly changing over time to suit the environment. Although potentially a slightly different species or subspecies, the modern Kelgus is so similar to its ancient predecessors and the original that it may just be the same organism, and the Kelgus has some unknown function to adapt to environmental changes without actually evolving into a new species.
The spores, after a short period of some hours, “hatch” into the larval state. These float around more or less aimlessly, absorbing light, but do have flagella which they can use to move around. After existing in this state for around a decade, growing and feeding on sunlight, the larvae will sink to the seabed where it will anchor itself and grow into its sponge-like subadult stage, often forming large colonies which can cover many square kilometres, creating a whole ecosystem. Eventually, around a few hundred years later, clusters of matured Kelgi cells will be ejected from the “mouth” of the sponge, float on the currents and anchor themselves onto rocks before growing into a seaweed-like plant which can become dozens of metres tall. These will release hundreds of their spores annually, continuing the cycle.