Budag Root
Basic Information
Anatomy
This fern, when fully-grown, sprouts around 15 to 20 elephant ear leaves that are about two feet in length and one foot in width. These leaves come in a spectrum of muted colors from light pink to tan, and are often broken off from the plant and used as paper/papyrus. These elephant ear appendages sprout from a globular sack made of a plastic-like material; this sack contains very bright-colored paint which the plant naturally creates from the resources it absorbs. At the end of its elephant ear leaves, the Budag Root grows its fruit which precariously dangle to be picked up by birds and muskrats.
Genetics and Reproduction
This plant reproduces using the fruit that it grows at the end of each of its elephant ear appendages. These fruits are often carried away from the mother plant by birds and other small animals who wish to eat them, and once their casing is broken open, it emits a large deafening pop. This pop sound not only acts as a defense mechanism to get the hungry creature to drop the seed inside, but also acts as a way for the fruit to penetrate into the ground if the casing is still attached upon hitting the ground. Once a seed lands in the ground, it only requires water, sunlight, and nutrients for about 2-3 weeks until a new Budag sprout bursts from the ground to begin the cycle anew.
Growth Rate & Stages
The Budag Root starts after its fruit deposits a seed into a fertile plot of soil. The seed gestates in the ground for around 2-3 weeks before a sprout reaches above the ground's surface, wherein this state, the plant's ink sack is above the ground and around the size of a coin sack, having the consistency of a solid plastic. The plant takes around 1 more month to begin growing its elephant ear appendages, during which the ink sack is then grown to the size of a baseball glove and is moved so that it is almost entirely below the ground. This larger sprout boasts about 5-7 larger leaves, and around 10-15 smaller leaves, which will all become full-sized in 2 more months. Once the plant reaches its full size, it germinates around 15 of its fruit on the end of its leaves, which will then be carried off the plant by the area's fauna. After reproducing 3 times, the Budag Root begins to wilt and die off.
Ecology and Habitats
This plant grows primarily in the upper (Northern) region of the Khaiguul Plains in the territory of Tagnuul, but species of its kind have been reported in Id Duudakh, and even near the borders of Fontuva.
Dietary Needs and Habits
The Budag Root simply needs watered twice weekly and needs only a few hours of sunlight each day to effectively grow to its full size. The plant's ink sack is also a sign of its health, being more vibrant and full the healthier that it is, dipping into this reserve nutrient supply when experiencing unwieldy conditions.
Biological Cycle
During the Winter, the Budag Root's ink sack is moved above ground, and the leaves retreat inside the plant to conserve energy and protect its vulerabilities.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Nearly every part of this plant is harvestable, being a very useful resource for denizens of Tagnuul. When fully-grown, the ink sack that the leaves grow from can contain liters of ink which are comprised of the plant's nutrients; this ink can come in every vibrant color you can imagine, and it also has an uncommon variant wherein the ink is clear and completely invisible except for creatures whom you choose (upon writing with it) or those which cast See Invisibility. Residents of Tagnuul use this ink extremely commonly, and is a major aspect of the city's information economy.
The elephant ear leaves of the plant are also commonly used as paper/papyrus for banners and scrolls. The fruits of the plant are often used as sonic weapons by those around the area of Tagnuul due to their abundance, as well as a way to track creatures across the Upper Khaiguul Plains using their ear-piercing sounds.
Scientific Name
Arbuscula Pyropingere
Lifespan
3 Years
Average Height
Around 1.5-2ft tall, with leaves reaching out in a 4ft diameter
Geographic Distribution
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