Crescent Flower

Basic Knowledge

The Crescent flower is a wild flowering plant known for its unique berries and sweet smell. The original plant can be found in Auch, while variants are scattered throughout northern-most regions in both Union and Meta. While other regions can't naturally take care of these plants, domesticated versions are cultivated in homes and greenhouses throughout the world. While the plants themselves are small, they spread and grow rapidly, producing up to three batches of berries in a single season. In the wild, it is not at all uncommon to come across a whole field of Crescent Flowers after spotting a single plant a few meters away. You will also notice that they are only naturally found in cool climates, and are distressed with too much humidity.

Wild

Wild Crescent Flowers are much smaller and desaturated compared to their domesticated brethren. The stems are long and sturdy, the stem leaves large to cover and protect the flowers and berries. The berries, in some cases, are entirely white and very tart. Not to mention often toxic if not properly harvested or prepared before ingesting.

There are four known variants of wild Crescent Flowers; Dominion, Pearlescent, Albedo, and Infecunda. Dominion is the original and most common of the plants, it is often the one you'd see in books or illustrations involving the flower species. Pearlescent is the second-most common species, its berries are most round, and the skin of which reflects any light shed on it. Albedo is the pure-white variant, these berries are long and skinny, often they are tart and their plants resemble small bushes more than flower stems. Lastly is the Infecunda, a very rare variant in which the flowers never produce fruit, and often die out quickly due to a number of genetic and environmental difficulties.

Domestic

On top of the domesticated versions of the wildflowers, there are a total of five popular domestic Crescent Flowers. These include the Western Lieo Star, Sweet Bush, Twin-tail, Minimoon, and Jester's Love. Each variant has its own focus on the original plant, making a certain color or taste more evident than natural. All of these are grown indoors, and took generations of cultivation to create, and have a select few dishes made with them.

The Western Lieo Star is a small and pale yellow version of its mother-plant, while from the outside it simply seems like a dwarfed plant, the berries grow in tight clusters, whose crowns prick anyone trying to harvest without gloves. The Sweet Bush can be found along the north-eastern coast of Meta, where the leaves are scarce but bigger, and the berries are hidden further within the plant itself, it is named for the overly sweet taste and is often used in dishes and preserves. Twin-tail comes from a small wild settlement in central Meta, who slightly modified the plant through forced evolution to yield double the berries per plant, the only effect being that one berry in each pair not only had more color but more flavor than the other. Minimoon came from an unknown source but can be found in many remote settlements and homes and the plant itself is smaller, but yields the same about of berries and flavor, making it ideal for indoor gardens and year-round growth. Lastly, the Jester's Love is a famous sour variant, often used to trick and prank unsuspecting victims, or created into a candy flavoring for those who enjoy a more tart or sour taste.

Variants

As mentioned above, there are many popular domesticated variants to the true Crescent Flower, however, the main five aren't the only variants in existence. There are a recorded twelve variant plants out there, not mentioning all those that haven't been publicly recorded or mentioned. Why go through all the trouble of nurturing a new variety if you're not going to announce it? Simply because some people have incredibly specific tastes, others may not feel their plant meets their standards yet, or fear that others may not like it. You may have an outstanding variant plant but don't wish for others to take credit for your work, so you hide it. Point is, there are plenty of reasons one may hide their variant.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Oftentimes, the Crescent fruits are used as ingredients in specialty and delicacy dishes, as homemade dyes, and when hardened can be used as scatter decorations around the month of the moon. The flowers can be pressed and used as jewelry or decorations, they can be juiced for potions and drinks, or simply farmed for nectar.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The Crescent Flower was found first in Northern portions of Auch, and reports of local variants can be found throughout other northern regions of Union such as Kortlivad and even northern Meta, like Vorsk and Lieo.

Average Height

In its prime state, the Crescent flower can be as tall as 22" from the ground up, and roughly 40" including the root systems.

Geographic Distribution