Black Lung Moss
Native to Red Jungles, Black Lung Moss is a moss species that is so severely adjusted to its natural habitat, that it has become entirely dependent on it. Without the heavy metals tainting the soil near volcanic vents, the moss simply cannot grow.
Black Lung Moss is named after the Black Lung bacteria that it hosts. Unlike animal species, the moss is not harmed by the bacteria, which reproduce inside it and inhabit the spores. The bacteria infect animals that consume the moss, but also may infect through inhaled spores.
The moss reproduces sexually, then spreads its spores on the wind. Because the spores are inhabited by bacteria, these spread with it. Investigation has not revealed any specimen that were not host to the bacteria. On the other hand, no other plant species was found that had reproducing bacteria inside.
Ymir has no real seasons, and the moss appears to not have any form of set reproduction schedule. As a result, there are airborn spores inside Red Jungles constantly. Sometimes, these spores will catch a thermal uplift from nearby volcanic vents, causing them to spread far beyond the forest edge. While the moss will fail to reproduce, the bacteria may still infect animals that inhale the spores.
The furthest that Black Lung Moss spores have been detected is 104km from the Red Jungle that they originated from. Because of this, all surveillance drones have spore-detectors built in, and outside surface areas must always be assumed to be hazardeous.
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