Contorted Volleypom

The Contorted Volleypom split from its ancestor in Martyk Temperate Woodland Archipelago, shrank considerably, and spread throughout the coastlines of Martyk Temperate Sea. The majority of their populations hug the coastal edges of their given biomes, getting windswept and contorted as they grow. Though they are unable to survive on seawater they will grow, albeit stunted to only 3 meters, in the dunes behind the high tide mark of beaches and growing along tops of cliffs. Their large bases attach to broad root systems that work quite well at preventing erosion in their otherwise dynamically changing environment.

Both summer and winter leaves have become narrower to prevent dessication from the constant ocean breeze and have a near constant PHB bioplastic coating as a response to the salt in the air and wind. Populations further inland or protected from sea winds do not have this constant layer. The winter leaf has simplified further to only have a single pneumathode on the tip to minimize its surface. Trichomes are commonly found in varying degrees similarly, and for similar reason, to its ancestor. That is, light intensity dictates if a particular surface develops them and how much or how long they are.

The clusters of microsporangia are smaller, individuals being about 2-3 cm long in clusters only 40 cm long. Individuals are less tightly grown together compared to those of it's ancestor, the sporangiums may even be without contact between each other once mature. The megasporangium grow in small clusters of up to three, but more often are lone individuals. These 10 cm papery structures form fewer, and larger, megaspores inside themselves. Sprouts grow at a rate of about 1 meter a year, and begin to reproduce at about 4 years old, producing microsporangium in small numbers, with megasporangium appearing a few years later.

A new feature to the megasporangium of the Contorted Volleypom that can be attributed to its success is the formation of an air pocket at its base as it matures. This pocket is a result of both water being moved from the surrounding tissue into the large megaspores, as well as increased dessication from coastal winds. These pockets are smaller among inland populations due to lack of environmental influence. As fallen megasporangium get moved around their environment, by wind or rain or other organisms, many of these crinkly structures make it into the surrounding saltwaters. Without the air pocket they would sink a short while after entering the water, their heavy megaspore cargo dragging them down. But the air pocket instead allows them to bob slightly at the surface and either wash back to shore from where they came or to new shores to give the young they carry a second chance.

The bark of the Contorted Volleypom is a little smoother with much wider sheets that develop in comparison to its ancestor the Shaggy Volleypom. This change helps protect it from climbing herbivores that may otherwise find footholds along the surface. Dead twigs, killed from environmental stresses, can be common in their canopy. Most other characteristics are fairly similar to their ancestor.