Calcrystalium

The calcrystalium has replaced its ancestor, the flash crystalroot, and has spread across all the tropical and temperate coastlines of Glicker. It lives much like its ancestor at the surf zone of the beach and the coast. Each crystal is made of hard photsythetic chitin which protects its red fungi-like insides. The chitin crystals have tiny holes in them which let in water and organic matter. Inside the red fungi-like interior consumes the organic matter. This same fungi-like material also makes up the "roots" of the flora and it can absorb needed nutrients and minerals from the soil. Like its ancestor it absorbs a lot of calcium from the soil which allows it to make a hard calcium outer coating to its roots. It grows taller and taller on these calcium mounds. When it dies it leaves a reef-like calcium deposits in which smaller fauna can live in. Like its ancestor, the calcrystalum are hermaphroditic, but they require outside fertilization to reproduce. The same holes that let in food also let out fertilized spores which float into the water and grow into new calcrystalium. When its low tide the tiny holes seal up to keep it from drying out. Being able to survive in the surf zone means that during low tide it gets a break from aquatic herbivores. However this also means its venerable to land herbivores on the beach. The tiny holes in the crystals are home to the microbe known as the calflash. The calflash is symbiotic in that it can create flashes of light that scare away herbivores. In return the calflash absorbs nutrients from the calcrystalum.