"I can't imagine living anywhere else. This is the hometree where I was born, where my father was born, where his father was born. This is the hometree where I learned to walk, where Lodi learned to build his contraptions.
We are to it no more than the lichen or hanid which covers its branches, and yet it looks after us, it has provided for us. And will continue to do so.
I can't imagine living anywhere else because I shall never live anywhere else. And nothing any Primian says is going to change that."
— Karinth of the Moonlit Mire
Circa 300 PT
P'Ache Micro
P'Ache Micro is the smallest habitable planet in the
P'Ache Solar System, the centre of the
Peacekeeper Alliance.
Its name comes from the relatively habitable land on the planet compared to the others in that system. The surface is 90% water, with the remaining land being predominantly swamp and marshland. It is hot and humid, and is the perfect environment for hometrees to grow and thrive.
Botanical Heritage
Nomenclature
Hometree is the affectionate name bestowed by the Macran on a specific species of Fenfolium (also referred to as Groves) known as Fenfolium Arbordomusia the common name for which is Home Groves.
The Fenfolium Family
Fenfolium is a family of perennial tropical and subtropical plants, mostly consisting of shrubs and trees. One of their defining characteristics is their ability to grow aerial roots. Instead of having tap roots deep underground, they are capable of developing roots that branch out from the stem some distance above the soil surface. The surface of aerial roots can carry numerous gas exchange pores through which oxygen could diffuse into the underground tissues with air-filled spaces.
Habitat
Unlike some other members of the Fenfolium family, Fenfolium Arbordomusia are found exclusively in saltwater and brackish water swamps and they contain a salt filtration system and a complex root system to cope with saltwater immersion. They thrive in warmer climates, although some have been known to survive in temperatures as low as 8°C (46°F).
It is found almost exclusively on
P'Ache Micro, which has the ideal conditions for this particular species. It has been cultivated on several other planets within the Peacekeeper Territories since the founding of the
Peacekeeper Alliance, but nowhere has been nearly as successful.
Species Identifiers
Two things separate Fenfolium Arbordomusia from others in the Fenfolium family.
- Size
This species of the Fenfolium family is far larger than any other. They are a wide tree both in terms of the spread of their canopy and the breadth of their trunk. They are also taller than most, and it is the combination of the two which is considered an identifying factor.
- Longevity
The Fenfolium Abordormusia have an extended lifespan compared to others in this family. They live an average of 1,500 years but have been known to live for up to double that in the right circumstances.
Cultural Significance
Fenfolium Arbordormusia are known as hometrees by
Macran because for many millennia they have been as the foundations for their residences. The story goes that before these Pachians became the dominant species on P'Ache Micro, they needed a way to live off the ground which, being mostly swamp and marshland, was filled with unseeable dangers. The hometrees offered them a sturdy place to sleep and rest, particularly with their often hollow centres.
Before long the Macran were building additions to the tree to make space for their growing families and treating them not only like a home but also as a well-cared-for and essential member of their community. This is why it is strongly believed that the Primians' desire to construct "modern" housing was one of the catalysts of the
The First Micro Rebellion. Today, those Macran still living on P'Ache Micro who follow the traditional ways continue to live in much the same way as they did more than 10,000 years ago.
In addition to acting as a home to Macran, hometrees are also home to many other forms of moss, lichen and various other symbiotic lifeforms. This includes the
Hanid which Macrans use in their
Macran Pipes.
Macran
The Macrans refer to themselves as the People of the Swamp. A lot of their traditions and culture are built around their affinity for their home environment.
The traditional Macran dress is designed to counteract the heat, with beads and fabrics wrapped around the head, neck and waist as decoration. The rest of the body is covered in intricate designs painted onto the skin in
Kired, a type of mud unique to P'Ache Micro.
They sound majestic. I love that you put in some information about the fenfolium family as well. :D
Thank you! :D