Inda
| Inda | ||
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| (Varanoglossum inda) | ||
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| Information | ||
| Creator | Coolsteph Other | |
| Week/Generation | 25/159 | |
| Habitat | South Darwin Rocky, Darwin High Grassland | |
| Size | 17 cm Tall | |
| Primary Mobility | Sessile | |
| Support | Unknown | |
| Diet | Photosynthesis | |
| Respiration | Passive (Stomata) | |
| Thermoregulation | Ectotherm | |
| Reproduction | Asexual, Budding, Pseudo-bulbs | |
| Taxonomy | ||
| Domain Kingdom Subkingdom Division Class Order Family Genus Species | Eukaryota Phoenoplastida Phoenophyta (info) Rhagioanthia Phoenopoopsida Phoenopoales Varanoglossaceae Varanoglossum Varanoglossum inda | |
| Ancestor: | Descendants: |
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Its stem and stem base are fleshy, with small hollow spaces inside each branched stem. Its stem branches off into multiple stems early on. Each stem is topped by two long leaves with a linear, grass-like shape. The stems and basal stem all have a faint stripy pattern of dark purple. It has a proportionately large "bulb root" (technically a rhizome) which stores energy and water for survival during drought conditions.
It produces small quantities of allicin, which is found in garlic, to deter pests. The allicin occurs in the greatest concentration in its rhizome and pseudo-bulbs. At time of evolution, the allicin is very repulsive to all known species of sapworms, and unbearable to most species of minikrugg. Only one species of minikrugg, Kruggus boatus, feeds on the inda, and it feeds only on the stem and leaves.
Though fairly tolerant of arid conditions, it is much less tolerant of cold conditions than its ancestor. Its antifreeze-like chemical is expressed in its leaves to a lesser extent than its ancestor. During adverse conditions, it sheds its leaves and goes dormant, relying on the energy stored in its rhizome.
After its leaves fall off, it grows odd, rounded gall-like growths of stem tissue. At the ends of these growths are tiny, dormant roots. In lieu of seeds, it asexually reproduces through these pseudo-bulbs. When sufficiently grown, the stem tissue attaching the pseudo-bulbs to the flora withers, causing the pseudo-bulbs to drop at the slightest disturbance. This usually occurs when large fauna brush against it. As the pseudobulbs grow, their weight causes the stem to bend to the ground. When the stem tip withers, the bulb may drop into the ground next to its parent flora.
Usually found in large, continuous fields, due to its "self-planting" habit.