Iradae's Flower

Wherever Iradae walks, mushrooms follow.

Contrary to expectations, Iradae's Flower (Stenza: i-radae-radae) is not, in fact, a flower. It is a fungus the fruiting bodies of which sprout many "petals" which allow the fungus to spread vast quantities of spores via whomever happens to come into contact with and "pollinate" it. This feature, and the fact that the fruiting bodies spring up in mostly straight rows, alternating as if like footsteps, gave rise to the name and the early belief that this fungus in particular marked the paths where Iradae has trod.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The most visible characteristic of the Iradae's Flower fungus is its fruiting body, which resembles a brightly colored flower but not always blending in with its immediate surroundings. The colors range in and out of the spectra of colors that both Stenza and Sandibari can perceive. However, this pales in comparison to the underground network of mycelia which sustains the fungus on the dead plant and animal matter of the forest. The mycelial networks are of as-yet-unknown size but are thought to encompass vast swaths of territory. It is also unknown exactly how many individuals there are because of this.
The other notable characteristic of Iradae's Flower is that it is poisonous to all life forms who might seek to eat it, Stenza included. This is considered a fascinating area of biological research by the Stenza, who suspect that the fungus has developed its own cross-phylogenetic tree mechanism in order to protect itself, although it is unknown at present why the mechanism exists.

Genetics and Reproduction

Iradae's Flower reproduces by spreading spores via insects and larger fauna mistaking the fruiting bodies of the mushroom for flowers proper, and by the winds of Mudewei. The spores land in various disparate parts of the forests and may or may not develop into an organism based on the availability of resources. Successful spores grow until they develop their own fruiting bodies, and the process repeats.

Ecology and Habitats

Iradae's Flower is found in the mulch and topsoil of the Sandibari Forests, and it is hypothesized that the mycelia have a symbiotic relationship with the roots of the trees, supplying processed nutrients to the soil and feeding off of the dead leaves.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Iradae's Flower is primarily left alone (like the discovery of fire somewhat contemporaneously, Stenza attempts to consume Iradae's Flower have led to disaster), and its instances are considered by some to be sacred sites, very often of a roving nature.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Iradae's Flower is thought to have originated near the coasts of the continent which now contains the Sandibari Forests, and spread inward following the growth of plant life across Mudewei. The Flower is thought by biologists to be the only extant member of a family of ancient fungi that once dominated flora on the continent millions of years in the past, a hypothesis backed up by genetic studies and analysis of fossils and petrified samples.

Civilization and Culture

History

The family of fungal organisms to which Iradae's Flower belongs is thought to have diverged from other fungi around five hundred million years before the present, although fungi themselves have been living on land for far longer. The mechansims that allowed Iradae's Flower to outcompete its family members are as yet unknown, but related organisms vanish from the fossil record a few hundred million years later.
Iradae's Flower in its modern form was first discovered by ancient Sandibari populations who were also the first to uncover its poisonous properties. Its vibrant colors and lethal character ensured it became a staple in Sandibari oral histories, and when The Stenza first made contact with them, the existence of this mushroom was among the first thing the Stenza had learned when communication was established. As with 'alashaia, which the Sandibari also found to be poisonous (but the Stenza did not), the Stenza thought it would be a fun challenge to seek out the mushroom and try it for themselves.
They also found it to be poisonous.
Very quickly, the Stenza began to incorporate the mushroom's properties (including the way it grows, alternating across some invisible line as though someone has walked there before) into their own mythology, suspecting the mushroom is all that remains of Iradae's wanderings across the surface of Mudewei. This resulted in the Stenza giving the mushroom the name Iradae's Flower in the first place, despite its lack of any resemblance to flowers beyond the superficial.
Iradae's Flower's seemingly universal poisonous properties have become a point of research for modern biologists and ecologists, who have for years tried to solve the puzzle of why a fungus would need to be poisonous to members of both of Mudewei's phylogenetic trees and what that might mean for, among other things, biological warfare and medicine.

Average Height

25cm

Geographic Distribution

• Sandibari Forests