Liadin Sporetree
The liadin sporetree is a large species of fungus endemic to the Liadin Rainforest on Ivucarro. These gigantic trees greatly resemble the liadins, metraphites that call this rainforest home.
One of the largest fungi on the planet, the trillions of spores released in the summer time can cause devastating planktonic storms. Thankfully, metraphites are well equipped to dealing with planktonic storms, and these devastating natural phenomena pose no threat to the people of this rainforest..
These trees are the Legional Species of Ivucarro. The iconic fungus is commonly mistaken as a plant by outsiders, metraphites intent on correcting anyone and everyone.
Anatomy
Hey, Greg. Hey. Greg. Hey! Why are you not- Oh, that's a tree. Goodness me.
Liadin sporetrees stand around five to ten feet tall, making them one of the largest trees in the rainforests.
The bright colours of the liadin sporetree deters herbivores, as these fungi are extremely poisonous. Not only does the chitinous skin secrete mild poisons, even deadlier ones flow within.
The great bulbous sac that sits inside a protective layer of yellow chitin is where spores are produced. They filter into the tentacle like appendages of the fungus, released when the balloons cannot store any more and explode.
The number of yellow rings on the stalk of this fungus can tell its age. A ring will appear every year this fungus survives.
Reproduction & Growth
The millions of spores released by a single sporetree float through the air as part of the aeroplanktonic ecosystem. If they are not consumed by airborne filter-feeders or simply destroyed due to them being so tiny, the spores grow into hyphae, which combine with one another on the ground and begin to form mycelium.
This mycelium quickly spreads and holds firm underground, and the fruiting body will begin to form. It takes about two years for the fungus to reach the adult stage, where they can begin to produce their own spores. In typical fungal fashion, liadin sporetrees will continue to grow indefinitely, provided they have the space and the nutrients. Unfortunately, due to the abundance of sporetrees in the Liadin Rainforest, they do not grow more than five to ten feet tall.
Habitat
Liadin sporetrees are exclusive to the Liadin Rainforest. They are the most iconic organism in the region, so influential that metraphites in the area mimic these fungi. These gigantic mushrooms have interwoven mycelium, making harvesting a tree in its entirety nearly impossible.
Their spores are a vital part of the ecosystem of this rainforest, providing food for filter-feeders and detritivores. Orb jellies, gigantic aerial cnidarians, are the primary predators of these spores.
Sporetrees collect too much rain for their bodies to handle; the soft skin on the inner walls of the petals and spore sac absorb excess water, which the fungi pumps into the ground. This keeps the soil of the rainforest incredibly moist, and is a significant cause of nutrient leaching in the region.
That turned out fantastically - looking forward to the rest of Ivucarro. And just to repeat that - those illustrations are gorgeous.
Thank you so much! I think this planet has lots of potential, I just need to get my butt into gear xD