Sproutstalk

The sproutstalk replaced its ancestor in the Drake Tundra. Its petal-like leaves have become broad fronds to better catch sunlight.

While the sproutstalk continues the practice of releasing asexual spores for long-distance propagation, it has developed a new method of reproduction and survival. Its root bulb now grows in knobby buds, allowing it not only more surface area for absorbing nutrients but also extra storage space for surplus sustenance; the bulb has the potential to grow twice as long as the stalk. If the stalk is severed but the bulb survives, the individual has more than enough reserves to regenerate. However, if a peripheral bud breaks off, it can generate a new individual. Their bulbs are also much hardier, able to withstand dramatic changes from normal temperatures. Undamaged individuals live for about 2 years, releasing spores twice each year; a severed bulb can lie dormant for at most a decade.