Shadesnap
Shadesnaps have rather lovely flowers, and the harvesting of the plant is heavily regulated as it is often sought after by nobles. The flower is domed at the top, and it has a separate petal, often called the “tongue,” that leads to the nectar of the flower. When an insect crawls inside, it becomes stuck to the sticky nectar coating the tongue, which then proceeds to snap shut and swell. If an insect is strong enough to break free of the nectar, it still finds itself trapped by the 5-6 long tines at the end of the tongue. Most Shadesnaps spread by putting out feelers, which find ideal soil and then root themselves to the new location, letting the connecting vine die before spreading feelers of its own. The exception to this is the Crawling Shadesnap, which is known to move across the ground at night. There are four known variants of the plant in Cosha.
Variants
Crawling:
Found along hard and cracked dirt, the roots of these plants are shallow and very thin. At night, the plant is known to move very slowly across the ground, searching for deeper soil with more nutrients to feed on. If the roots detect blood, they will take root and remain in place to feed on any insects that feed on corpses. If some time goes by and the plant doesn’t catch any insects, it will begin to move on.
Climbing
Long vines wrap around the thin, reed-like trunks of the Firework Oak. Small flowers feed on the tiny Burrow Beetle known for digging into the wood of the Firework Oak, so it is very common to see loggers introduce this variant to a new grove of Firework Oak to keep the beetle population in check, as an infestation can destroy hundreds of trees.
Bogtrap
The largest variant of the Shadesnap, this one is also the most deadly. Large flowers lay half-buried in moors and swamps, capable of catching mice and rats as well as all kinds of insects. When triggered, the tongue snaps shut as normal, but the flower fills rapidly with digestive liquid, which also acts as a fast-acting neurotoxin. If a creature triggers the trap but isn’t fully engulfed in the flower, the tongue is sharp enough to pierce through skin, fur and scales, allowing the neurotoxin to enter the bloodstream. Even if a creature escapes, it quickly succumbs to the poison, though larger creatures may survive for several minutes before death takes them. Those who die of the Bogtrap’s poison are known to have purple-pink veins traveling up and down their body; a sign of the poison traveling through the bloodstream. The pollen of this flower is hyper-allergenic, often causing severe swelling of the tongue and throat.
Cliffhanger
Known for hanging off the sides of cliffs, these are only found along the steep cliffs of the eastern coast. These feed on sliverworms, which climb down the cliffs during low-tide to feed on washed-up fish or other refuse. These shadesnaps mimic the smell of decay, causing the cliffs to reek of low-tide even when the beaches are hidden by the seawater.
Variants
Crawling:
Found along hard and cracked dirt, the roots of these plants are shallow and very thin. At night, the plant is known to move very slowly across the ground, searching for deeper soil with more nutrients to feed on. If the roots detect blood, they will take root and remain in place to feed on any insects that feed on corpses. If some time goes by and the plant doesn’t catch any insects, it will begin to move on.
Climbing
Long vines wrap around the thin, reed-like trunks of the Firework Oak. Small flowers feed on the tiny Burrow Beetle known for digging into the wood of the Firework Oak, so it is very common to see loggers introduce this variant to a new grove of Firework Oak to keep the beetle population in check, as an infestation can destroy hundreds of trees.
Bogtrap
The largest variant of the Shadesnap, this one is also the most deadly. Large flowers lay half-buried in moors and swamps, capable of catching mice and rats as well as all kinds of insects. When triggered, the tongue snaps shut as normal, but the flower fills rapidly with digestive liquid, which also acts as a fast-acting neurotoxin. If a creature triggers the trap but isn’t fully engulfed in the flower, the tongue is sharp enough to pierce through skin, fur and scales, allowing the neurotoxin to enter the bloodstream. Even if a creature escapes, it quickly succumbs to the poison, though larger creatures may survive for several minutes before death takes them. Those who die of the Bogtrap’s poison are known to have purple-pink veins traveling up and down their body; a sign of the poison traveling through the bloodstream. The pollen of this flower is hyper-allergenic, often causing severe swelling of the tongue and throat.
Cliffhanger
Known for hanging off the sides of cliffs, these are only found along the steep cliffs of the eastern coast. These feed on sliverworms, which climb down the cliffs during low-tide to feed on washed-up fish or other refuse. These shadesnaps mimic the smell of decay, causing the cliffs to reek of low-tide even when the beaches are hidden by the seawater.
Scientific Name
Umbra Comedentis
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