Rhiza Growths
An Unlikely Aid
"Wait... You mean you INTENTIONALLY grow fungus on your food?"
Found among the root systems of vegetation growing within the Shaderoot, Rhiza Growths serve a valuable role for farmers and those that seek to cultivate the land of the forest. By growing out of the root systems of the host plant, Rhiza feasts on the waste left behind as their hosts pull needed nutrients from the soil, which in turn allows the host to grow both larger and healthier. The mushrooms continue to grow as they feed, and it is said amongst farmers in the Shaderoot that once you find Rhiza Growths popping up in between your crops, it is time for the harvest. While Rhiza Growths are safe for consumption, they are neither very nutritious nor tasty, and are most often harvested and turned into mulch, then used to help enrich the soil for the next harvest.
Basic Information
Genetics and Reproduction
When old Rhiza Growths are mulched and used to enrich soil for planting, the remnants of the mushrooms in the soil in turn creates new Growths that latch onto freshly-planted crops. Through this cycle, a shrewd farmer can keep their lands fertile through multiple harvesting seasons.
Growth Rate & Stages
The rate at which Rhiza actually grows can vary on a number of factors, but most notably rests upon the maturation rate of the host plant whose roots they bind to. As Rhiza draws its nutrients through the root systems of other plants, it can only feed as quickly as the host does, although when removed from its host Rhiza wastes away quite quickly and rarely survives being re-"planted".
Ecology and Habitats
Rhiza Growths are found exclusively within the Shaderoot, and while farmers use them to aid in the growth of their crops, they can be found all across the forest growing on the root systems of any vegetation, from the flowers to the trees.
Semi-Unpalateable
While most people regard Rhiza Growths as a byproduct of growing crops within the Shaderoot and are content to leave it for the dirt, there are those with peculiar tastes that enjoy eating the mushrooms. Rhiza is incredibly bitter, enough to drive away most of its natural predators, but there are a few, especially among the Sin'kaldari, that use it as an ingredient in cooking. Despite the efforts of these people, Rhiza has not caught on in a popular fashion, and most farmers prefer to keep it as a recycler for their fields.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
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