Creeping midnight

Creeping midnight are a fast-growing parasitic form of plant life that, variously, colonize trees or exist as ground cover or thickets. They do not fare well in the grasslands, the inhabitants of which secrete a highly corrosive acid when attacked; there are also few trees, meaning creeping midnight cannot find purchase as it does not have the capacity to develop deep root systems. Creeping midnight does, however, fare well in the jungles, where it can string itself from tree to tree, or cover the ground in thickets. Their name comes from their deep navy-blue color, which is believed to be an adaptation to protect against Nuavaao's solar radiation. This lessens their ability to perform photosynthesis, but protects the vines very well against UV damage, making them highly long-lived despite not having protective cellulose armor as in Nuavaaoaa trees. Creeping midnight is covered in large, sharp thorns, which it uses to find purchase on host bodies, punch through armor, and draw out nutrients from its host. A highly evolved form of plant life, creeping midnight has also been known to use these thorns to deadly effect on Nuavaaii colonists.