Cave Stalk

The cave stalk split from its ancestor. It is almost identical to its ancestor, except it now embeds itself into cave walls. Their spores are still spread by the wind and are still kept inside a chamber placed on top of its stalk which is opened once the chamber is filled with spores. The spores can still form thick orange clouds able to choke small animals. When the spores find a crack in the cave wall, they embed themselves into it, slowly growing and pushing the rock away. If too many grow on a wall, it could cause a cave-in. Their roots drink water preventing it from drying out and also to cool down the cells in its body. The water will leave the cave stalk through the stem, making it moist to the touch and photosynthesis more efficient. It also has a special adaptation allowing it to survive for months without rain and will soak up so much water when it rains that its bulb-like root bloats. When the bulb root has little water in it it will look like a shriveled up balloon.