Gouromb

The Gouromb split from its ancestor. The only change from its ancestor is its additions to reproduction. Like its ancestor, it spreads its seeds by dehiscence. The spherical gourd is pressurized (with gas produced by respiration) such that when fully mature it can easy erupt when struck and spread it's seeds. The inside of the gourd is hollow in the center, with the seeds loosely attached to the inner lining of the gourd; when the sections of the gourd are whipped apart, the seeds are flicked off a considerable distance. The gouromb's gourd is rigged, creating a type of perforation which makes eruption easier when matured. The inner lining of the gourd is lined with juice and nutrients, so that herbivores are enticed to eat the gourd rather than the seeds. Like its ancestor it has a triggering mechanism located in the stem of the gourd. If the gourd is strongly disturbed for a certain period after maturity, the gourd will be flung upwards at least a meter off the ground; the force of impact with the ground it enough to explode the gourd. If left alone for long enough, the gourd will simply drop, roll away, but still explode. The gourd will shed its quills before rolling away, making the second type of explosion less painful for local fauna. The gouromb use water as a primary vector for seed dispersal. The upper part of the gourd is denser than the rest of the body. If the gourd falls into water, it floats upside down. The top of the gourd also has a long flexible "lure" which is directly attached to the connective fibers of the ground. If the lure is strongly disturbed, the gourd will explode with greater ease. The seeds then can float along until the hit land. Individuals live for 20 years, taking a week to germinate and a month to mature. Individuals regrow their bulbs annually; the gourd will be primed for triggering for about a month before falling away.