Fermi Fuzzweed
| Fermi Fuzzweed | ||
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| (Truffulella fermiensis) | ||
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| Information | ||
| Creator | OviraptorFan Other | |
| Week/Generation | 27/167 | |
| Habitat | Fermi Bush, Fermi Temperate Volcanic, Fermi Temperate Woodlands, Fermi Plains | |
| Size | 16 cm Tall | |
| Primary Mobility | Sessile | |
| Support | Unknown | |
| Diet | Photosynthesis | |
| Respiration | Passive (Stomata) | |
| Thermoregulation | Ectotherm | |
| Reproduction | Asexual (Spore-Filled Berries) | |
| Taxonomy | ||
| Domain Kingdom Subkingdom Division Class Order Family Genus Species | Eukaryota Phoenoplastida Phoenophyta (info) Spherophyta (info) Knodophytopsida Truffulellales Truffulellaceae Truffulella Truffulella fermiensis | |
| Ancestor: | Descendants: |
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Having split off from their ancestor, the Fermi fuzzweed has moved inland and colonized the warmer parts of its namesake continent. In many ways, the Fermi fuzzweed is similar to their ancestor in terms of niche, but it does possess a few differences. The most noticeable one is the development of a sort of trunk that all of the stems branch out from. This helped the Fermi fuzzweed remain more stable since it is larger than its ancestor and as such is a little bit heavier. Additionally, the species has developed double the amount of branches, each of which still possesses bulbous tips at the end that are covered in a thick coat of photosynthetic trichomes. The extra amount of branches provide two particular benefits for the Fermi fuzzweed, the first being an increased photosynthetic efficiency which helps them meet their greater energetic needs due to a larger size. The increased number of branches also benefits the reproduction of the Fermi fuzzweed, since they still asexually produce spore-filled berries that are noticeable in coloration compared to the rest of the flora. This makes them easier to spot for herbivores and omnivores, which will go for the berries for an energy-rich snack or meal depending on their size. The spores within the berries are resistant to digestive acids, which allows them to be easily dispersed through the fauna's waste. As the dung provides a nice fertilizer, the Fermi fuzzweeds dispersed this way can often reach full size within a month rather than the three months it takes for Fermi fuzzweeds that simply drop the berries after nothing eats them for several weeks.
Across most of its range, the most prominent disperser of the Fermi fuzzweed is the rosy cornizope, with the snappers often consuming the whole flora berries and all. While this does kill the adult phoenophyte, the many many spores will be dispersed over a wide area, and the generalistic grazing of both the rosy cornizope and the durameloth helps clear out competing flora such as the fermiblades. As such, the Fermi fuzzweed could be described across most of their range as a pioneer flora, often being among the first species of phoenophyte to recolonize bare patches of earth before getting mostly outcompeted by other species that grow in later. The one exception to this general trend is the population found within the Fermi Temperate Woodlands. Here, most of the Fermi fuzzweed's competition found elsewhere is completely absent, and the one major competitor in the area known as the tetracone puffgrass mostly sticks to soggy soil. Being mostly found in drier habitats, the Fermi fuzzweed prefers to grow in dry soil and as such can partially avoid competition with the larger and faster spreading puffgrass, which has in turn allowed the Fermi fuzzweed to absolutely thrive in this habitat. As they form large stands of little purple weeds in areas not saturated with water, Fermi fuzzweeds find themselves being eaten by the herbivorous snoa found in the area known as the kanecevtak. Unlike the snappers found elsewhere, the kanecevtak will primarily go for the energy rich berries of the Fermi fuzzweed rather than the stems and "leaves", which means they are an even better disperser since the Fermi fuzzweeds can grow back their berries within a month or so for the snoa to eat again. Though kanecevtaks do feed on the stems occasionally, and the species does still experience more typical predation from things like floraverms and minikruggs which helps keep the population in chance, the unique context of the Fermi Temperate Woodlands has allowed the local Fermi fuzzweeds to form the largest population of their kind seen across their entire range.
Living in a temperate climate, Fermi fuzzweeds have made adaptations to handle the cold, going into a state of suspended animation when winter arrives and ceasing photosynthesis. During this time, the flora rely upon their built up sugar reserves to last the winter, which also help keep their tissues from freezing. Once the warmer summers return, the Fermi fuzzweeds will return to their normal functions.