Cladendron

The cladendron split from it's ancestor. Cladendrons are microdendrons that have adapted to live within the the pores of the column shrubite. Cladendron forests often are most noticeable at the top of the column shrubite near it's large filter 'mouth' because those forests started growing almost as soon as the column shrubite was 'born'. Column Shrubites and Cladendrons have a symbiotic-parasitic relationship. Cladendrons will help keep the pores of a column shrubite clean which allow the shrubite to obtain more food, but they also steal some energy/food from their host.