Windcrystals
The rotpod’s light, dry ‘seeds’ aided it somewhat in reproduction. As the species spread, lighter and more airborne seeds were naturally selected for. Eventually, their seeds became so light and airborne that they were able to spread across all of hybarder, much like the asterplent did before.
The windcrystal’s fruit itself is a small, dry casing which contains the embryonic crystal and its supply of nutrition. Despite its compactness, the store of nutrients in the seed allows it to last a long time in the air, letting the seed travel for many miles in the air. The bristles on the end of the seed have become very light and fibrous, and are analogous to the pappi on a dandelion seed. The seed is also somewhat poisonous and bitter tasting, not favorable for any species except the hogtrok.
A windcrystal starts its sessile life once the seed is in a stable position on the ground, usually once it has been stamped into the ground somehow or is stuck in an area where it cannot be lifted off the ground. After a few days off of its parent flora, the seed will start to lose some of its pappi. In most species, all of the bristles fall off in a month or two. The seedling windcrystal will then start to germinate, starting out small and green. While some windcrystal species lose most of their chlorophyll once they find a suitable supply of nutrients, ones in nutrient-poor areas such as scrublands have adapted to keep their chlorophyll for their entire life. While they still benefit greatly from feeding off of large rotting petrolignum flora, windcrystals don't need them like their ancestors did. Most species of windcrystal just get nutrients from the soil or smaller dead flora.
When a reproductive root is produced, be it sexually or asexually, it will find its way to a large flora, preferably one over 3 meters tall. This root will then start to climb up the plant with the help of claw-like protrusions. When this vine-root reaches the upper reaches of the plant, it will split up into more rigid, rod-like roots that stick up into the air or hang downwards, depending on the species. These roots will finally produce many small, airborne seeds to start the process all over again.
Example Species
Top: Ventufructus acutis - This species lives in the middle of Darwin, and retains the genus’ ancestral coloration. It is a medium-sized species that has a pointy shape to deter it from being trampled.
Bottom Left: Ventufructus pseudoporcus - This species thrives in the warm regions of Glicker. It has the colorations of a hogtrok as defensive mimicry, making it look very dangerous to large fauna.
Right: Ventufructus petrus - This species is hard to spot due to its cryptic coloration and small size. Its surface is also riddled with microscopic bumps, making it unusually dull. It is quite widespread on Barlowe, and is one of the more successful species.