Emperor Greatcap
| Emperor Greatcap | ||
|---|---|---|
| (Lepidocanopium imperator) | ||
 | ||
 | ||
 | ||
| Information | ||
| Creator | Bufforpington Other | |
| Week/Generation | 27/167 | |
| Habitat | Ramul Subtropical Woodland, Ramul Subtropical Woodland Archipelago, Steiner Subtropical Rainforest Archipelago, Steiner Tropical Rainforest Archipelago, Steiner Tropical Rainforest | |
| Size | 90 Meters Tall | |
| Primary Mobility | Sessile | |
| Support | Unknown | |
| Diet | Photosynthesis | |
| Respiration | Passive (Lenticels) | |
| Thermoregulation | Ectotherm | |
| Reproduction | Sexual (Crystal Fruit and Flowers), Asexual (Budding) | |
| Taxonomy | ||
| Domain Kingdom Subkingdom Division Class Order Family Genus Species | Eukaryota Binucleozoa Crystallozoa (info) Cavacrystalita Coelocrystalla Caulocrystallales Polygonophyllaceae Lepidocanopium Lepidocanopium imperator | |
| Ancestor: | Descendants: |
|---|---|
The fate of the Greatcap Baseejie was a comical one. Mere millions of years after evolving to become the awe-inspiring, dominant canopy tree, it would be overshadowed by new species many times its size at most. While the population in Ramul didn't need to suffer the wrath of the vesuvianite tree and its kin, the lurtrees has brought it a world of pain. The dense tangle of aerial roots often strangle greatcap baseejies, which are often shorter than the odd trees on stilts. This led to intense competition which in combination with the island environment, led to the greatcap baseejie skyrocketing in size to once more dominate the canopy, and replace its shorter ancestor.
While the roots of its evolution lied in Ramul, the emperor greatcap initially evolved in Steiner after being introduced by the steiner phlyer. They are a slow-growing species that starts life as a thin, spindly sapling that rises up from the tangle of lurtrees that loom above it. Their shade tolerance allows them to persist in shady understories, where many saplings begin their life. Like other greatcaps, the juveniles have a spear-shaped canopy like that of an asparagus stalk that reduce their profile when rising past the competition. Once the emperor greatcap reaches some 20 meters in height, it will transition to its adult form, developing their characteristic mushroom-like cap. Emperor greatcaps are capable of reproducing after reaching somewhere around 30 meters in height but will only do so when they have an adequate supply of sunlight. Emperor greatcaps often take 1,000 years to reach their maximum height.
Emperor greatcaps are a component of old-growth forests, with their broad, opaque canopy and long lifespan allowing them to shade out all competition for up to 3,000 years. However, trees often persist in the cracks in a stand's collective canopy, using the light filtering down from these occasional openings. However, lurtrees here are rarely able to reproduce, as the shelter brought about by the emperor greatcap prevents wind from passing through and producing their pollination songs. The only other species capable of competing with the emperor greatcap is the lurain, which often breach the gaps in the canopy with the treetops resembling giant bushes rising from an unbroken, green plain of crystals. The two species often jostle for dominance over the canopy of old-growth forests, with lurains winning out at first in clearings only to be replaced by slow-growing, underlying emperor greatcaps awaiting in their dappled understory. This cycle will continue until a much greater disturbance wipes a much larger section of the forest and set back the succession of that segment of the ecosystem.
Emperor greatcap grow best in the moist, hydric soils of Steiner's tropical rainforests. However, they can also grow in drier climates, but often are stunted by the lack of water. Emperor greatcaps are most common in floodplains and around ponds in these regions. Subtropical populations are stunted further by exposure to the occasional frost. This makes the Ramul population notably smaller than the Steiner population, often only reaching a maximum size of 50 meters tall.
The emperor greatcap's crystals have changed little from its ancestor. The crystals are arranged in an organized pattern originating from an underlying tangle of branches. The branches produce offshoots that rise to the top of the canopy, which in turn produce buds that generate the crystals.
The fruit has not changed much either. Due to its larger size and the more favorable tropical climate, the emperor greatcap produces more fruit than its ancestor. The fruits are now colored yellow with an orange gradient. The starchy flesh is now pink. The flesh tastes similar to watermelon. Like its ancestor, the flowers are hermaphroditic and pollinated by xenobees.