Hedgehorn

Gently Prickling Florabeast

The Hedgehorn stands out in a crowd not only because of its orange, waxy skin, but also because of their long, thick thorns. These spikes continue to grow throughout its lifecycle, so planters must continually trim them back to prevent them from stabbing everything they pass by. Unless, of course, their planter is a Guardiner, in which case they will keep them long and sharp, ready to fend off any foe. Though, that level of readiness might be difficult to achieve.

Most Florabeasts derived from herbivorous animals don't exhibit the same cautious behavior that prevents them from being prey, since they have no natural predators, and Hedgehorns not only retain this manner, but amplify it. These creatures are extremely timid, and will shy away from nearly everything they've never seen before, and if even remotely surprised, they will curl up into an oblong ball and remain there until their planter can convince them to come out and continue along their day. Some busy planters just pick them up and haul them off to wherever they were going, since most don't grow larger than a foot from nose to tail.

Despite the risks, these Florabeasts are excellent companions, especially for junior planters. The green, jelly-like portion of their underbelly is apparently very sensitive, and children love to poke the wiggling seeds and watch their Florabeast shake with laughter.

Name Explanation

Cucumis metuliferus is known by several names, including the African horned melon (or cucumber), spiked melon, jelly melon, or kiwano. The hog in hedgehog was replaced with horn, since calling it a Hornhog would make it seem like a pig. The fruit and the animal are similar since they are both small and have spikes.

Handbook No.

30

Latin

Cucumis erinaceus

Flavor

Sweet

Vegetable

Kiwano melon

Animal

Hedgehog

Size

Small

Temperament

Shy

Origin

Africa