Meat-Nut Plant
The meaty plant
Now, whoever would have thought that a cat would voluntarily eat anything that wasn't meat? Well... Suseil wrinkled eir nose when ey thought about it a little more. Perhaps all of this might make sense if the nut truly was meat? Maybe it was a new kind of meat! It was at times like this, Suseil was happy to be a genius. And thus, the Meat-Nut Plant was given a name.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Meat-Nut plant is a giant, leafy plant. The stem is thick and very long, shooting nearly straight up from its roots which bury themselves deep into the soil. Each leaf is approximately the size of a Saber 's paw, and is extremely slippery to the touch. The leaves are quite bitter tasting, though they do have medicinal use as an appetite suppressant and to help expecting parents go into labor when they are overdue (assuming the litter and parent are both healthy). When cut, the plant is said to smell strongly of urine.
The plant only blooms for three months every year, during late Newberry through early to mid-Heatmelt. During this time, it grows dark gold, light pink, or both-colored small flowers. Though able to pollinate itself, it attracts pollinating insects and birds in order to help speed up the process. Afterwards, the plant produces the nuts for which it gets its name: large, round, heavy brown nuts with a strong meaty flavor.
Ecology and Habitats
The Meat-Nut Plant is most commonly found growing near large bodies of fresh water. Any body of fresh water will do, even if it is fast moving.
Scientific Name
Disanthus virgatum
Origin/Ancestry
Carnevegeus family
Conservation Status
Because of the commonality of the plant, currently there is no need to conserve it. It is not considered threatened or endangered, and is of least concern to the WFPA.
I love the excerpt about naming the plant, I feel like that gives a great start before you launch into the more explicit information. Other than that, it's a well thought out and succinct article giving just enough information about the plant that I might need to know. Even the scientific name and origin are nice little details that really make this feel like a real plant. I wonder though, how is it harvested? Is it just eaten or does it have other use?
Richard Bradley
The leaves have uses in medicine, and the nuts themselves can be dried/cooked and eaten! There'll be more info about it likely after I get the rest of my SC articles done.