Bluck

(Replaces its ancestor in the Fly Tropical Rainforest.)

The bluck, also known as the common bluck or cluster bluck, has adapted to its herbivores. It expresses some of the genes of its great-ancestor, the clusterblades. However, in the time that separated the two, many of those genes mutated, with a portion of those genes rendered useless by unlucky mutation. Thus, the bluck's leaves, while stiff, are not sharp, and are not quite as upright as the leaves of the clusterblades.

The stiffness was not enough to deter herbivores, so in addition to this it sports phytoliths of nickel. Chomping on metal-reinforced needles slowly wears down the tappipper's wooden teeth, but, unfortunately for the bluck, does not wear down the beaks of twilight ridgehorn or stubhead bounder, for those herbivores do not chew. While it cannot wear down the beaks of those herbivores, it can still poison them: each individual bluck has about 0.363 grams of nickel, easily providing an overdose. Overdose can cause nausea, vomiting, (if the fauna in question is capable) and even cancer in the bluck's herbivores.

The needles grow from the base of mini-stems at the top of the flora's stem. The needles grow outward in an irregular star-like shape. At the center is a fleshy bunch of leaves or bracts. These photosynthesize as the needles do, but lack significant quantities of nickel. These bracts develop at about eight months. Prior to producing seeds, the bracts secrete mucus at their tips. The mucus is filled with pollen, which is transferred between individuals by mucivorous xenobees. (The mucus is not sugary enough to attract nectarivorous xenobees.) The pollen is retained by the individual for some time, for blucks only produce seeds at about two years. The seeds are tough, distasteful, bright red and emit a faint light. Undiscriminating herbivores may eat them along with the fleshy bracts, eventually spitting or regurgitating the seeds out.