Krakyarran
The Krakyarran signals the dry season, warning of fire as its own flaming flowers come to bloom.
This tree is a survivor, using its lance like roots to sever past the epidermis of the roots of other trees to absorb the water from their mineral nutrients from the host. Often mistaken for a cluster of trees, the Krakyarran likes to send out rhizomes (thin subterranean stems) that grow up further 'trees' that slowly encase the area around the host tree, until all that is left of the host is its canopy and roots.
The Krakyarran is also called the fire-caller, for it blooms exclusively when the moisture of the air drops below a certain point for about a week, blossoming in shard-like vibrant yellow and red flowers that are hermaphroditic, incredibly easy to pollinate into small citrus fruit. These fruit drop and are blown by the winds generated by the fires that are accelerated by the highly flammable bark and sap of the Krakyarran, the small seeds protected in the very juicy fruit, only to drop down into the forest soil once weaker competitors have been cleared and only the strong soon to be hosts are left standing.
Troll wisdom states that the Krakyarran should never be destroyed, not even in accident, nor should it be sat beneath for fear of disrespecting the spirit of the tree, and in a world where spirits may or may not exist, most are too weary to disprove this wisdom.Basic Information
Growth Rate & Stages
Krakyarran grow to up to 15m tall, with about half that height being long thin strands that end in leaf structures that grow directs hanging off the host plant.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Spread across the eastern edge of the Forbidden Forest on the Brambleberry side, and on the western side of the forest near Solaris, this tree enjoys higher elevations and looser packed canopies.
The citrus fruit of the plant grows to about 2cm long, bright yellow with a deep red flesh and a cluster of 5 to 6 small seeds within.
Both the fruit and the flowers usually have traces of a yeast growing on them, and while those from the city might wash this off the fruit and flowers before eating them (or brewing them for tea), if instead one decides to pulp them, adding sugars (in the form of saps, or honeys or even septum) one can begin to form a Krakyarran 'rum'.
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I really need to add more of these pieces to my own work. I have a real deficit of plant life. The fact that is has spoken and unspoken spiritual significance is hard to pull off in an organic way. You did it with great skill. Very well done.
Its inspired by the West Aussie Christmas tree.