Flora:Catapult Tree

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Description
Catapult Trees are a species of palm tree found exclusively on  Vuunega, the homeworld of the  Aurix. The exact continent of origin for the species is unknown, as they are found on at least two separate continents, the most well-known of which being Zeeon, the continent on which the Aurix evolved.

Catapult trees are partially-carnivorous plants with a complex, three stage life cycle. They are widespread and form vast forests along the tropical shores of both continents and islands; these forests are so vast and the catapult trees so dominating, that they are deemed as their own separate biome, called the Catapult Tree Forests.

Life Cycle
Catapult trees lead an interesting life cycle. When the young coconut-like seeds of the species, called Rockscales, have matured enough, the adult catapult tree flings them far out into the ocean, hence the species' name. From here, the seed can spend many months floating in the currents until it finally reaches the shores on another continent or island.

Once the rockscale touches the sandy shores it generally reaches, it will remain in place for several weeks to even several months (depending on how far away the place of origin was, and if it has fully matured by this time). During this time many are fed upon by specially-evolved creatures, such as the Clawgrips and  Skullbeaks of Southern Zeeon.

When the rockscale has matured fully, several sprouts will emerge from the tough, armored "shell". All three of these extensions -- the whipping vines, the eyesprouts, and the roots -- are all capable of quick movement. At this stage, the rockscales are known as Whipscales, and become a danger to various smaller species, and a nuisance to even larger creatures, by using their razor-sharp whipping vines to whip at nearby foes, to help deter potential predators. It is at this time that the whipscale balances itself upright on its roots, and makes the slow journey into the nearby forests consisting of their adult forms. A whipscale may take several days to find just the right spot with enough sunlight to allow it to feed, although they are capable of feeding off of organic matter such as meat by absorbing it slowly through their roots. Once they've found a spot, they'll use their roots once again to dig themselves into a small pit, where only their armored shell, vines, and eyesprouts will remain exposed. From here, they will become permanently sessile.

As the whipscale grows older, it becomes more and more palm tree-like, with its eyesprouts forming the basis of the entire tree (at which time it loses its sight), and its whipping vines becoming embedded in the ground, wrapped around its own roots. These vines always face the opposite direction of the shore. At this stage, the whipscale is finally called a catapult tree. Catapult Trees are capable of feeding off of live prey, but generally will only do so if they cannot produce enough food through photosynthesis, or if the soil is not rich enough. They do this by uprooting themselves somewhat, creating a small habitat beneath them. Below here they have special scent glands that produce special pheromones to attract a variety of creatures, all of which can become potential prey. The lower sides of the roots are covered in straw-like strands that work like hairs; once triggered by a quick succession of two taps to these straw-cilia, the tree will use its quick movement abilities to reroot itself, thereby trapping the creature beneath it like a veritable cage. It will then crush the creature and absorb its nutrients, leaving only a dry, withered, crushed husk of the now-dead animal..

Once the catapult tree has reached full adulthood, it begins to flower, allowing the local pollenator species to pollenate the plant. Once properly pollenated, new rockscales will begin to form, using metal heavily permeated into the local soil to slowly build the armor plates along the seed's outer covering; if there is no metal in the soil, the rockscales will have little chance of surviving their place of arrival. Once formed, the vines will slowly wrap more and more of themselves around the roots, pulling the tree itself closer and closer to the ground; the rockscales are generally safe due to the armor plates. These vines will then quickly be starved of nutrients, and will quickly wither and die over the next few days. They lose their strength to hold the tree in place suddenly, and snap -- sending the tree careening back to its initial position, sending the rockscales far out into the ocean to begin the process anew. With the vines destroyed, the catapult tree must regrow them to allow for another generation to be created and properly distributed.

Scientific Classification
Domain: Eukaryota (Complex Organisms) Kingdom: Plantae (Plants) Division: Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants) Class: Liliopsida (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monocotyledon Monocots -- Flowering Plants with flowers adapted for highly specific insectoid pollination) Order: Arecales (Palms & their relatives) Family: Arecaceae (Palm Trees) Genus: Unspecified Species: ''Unspecified