Hot-Air Balloon Plants
Plants that generate heat air and trap the hot air in modified leaves that form a 'balloon' (there is a mutation/evolution that 'overproduces' oxygen, thus also providing the plant with the air it uses to fill it's bag). The plants generate heat via biochemical reactions like Bombardier beetles and when the plant wants to go up, it generates heat, the hot air is captured, and up goes the balloon plant.
They are generally considered to be mutations/evolution of the Tillandsioideae Family... AKA air plants. They absorb water and nutrients from the air rather than from soil or other sources. Both the roots and the leaves (including the balloon) have specialized cell groups called trichomes which form scales, which help absorb nutrients, absorb water, and insulate against the bitter cold of high altitudes. Unlike most other air-plants, the Balloon-plants have functional roots that work in much the same way that their leaves do. The leaves tend to focus on photosynthesis while the roots focus on nutrient collection. The scales on the leaves, stems, and roots also act as bug-catchers. Insects and small animals that land on them become stuck, expire, and have their nutrients absorbed by the plant. When the plants shed their scales (which happens at least once a year during the summer months) anything that was trapped in the scales is shed alongside the scales.
Balloon plants are surprisingly nutritious, comparable to alfalfa, and as a result many aerial herbivores will seek them out and eat them... As eating the stem can result in severe burns from the bombardier chemicals, and the balloon leaves have little to no nutrition, most of the time the herbivores will eat the roots, but leave the rest of the plant alone (at least that is the case in the medium and large varieties. The small 'sky-plankton' tend to have so little bombardier chemicals that the entire plant is eaten).
Oxygen over-producers have a specialized stem that basically puts out oxygen in regular 'bubbles', a steady supply of air to be heated for lift. There are a handful of o2 producers that have sacrificed the balloon and remain rooted to the ground, with the Bombardier-beetle chemically-produced heat is used as a defense and points outward, rather then up.
Most of the time, the plants can survive the bag blowing up/burning and a fall to the ground as they tend to have a very low terminal velocity and are quite springy - thus they hit softly enough not to shatter. They're fire hardy/resistant, and so long as the fall or explosion doesn't do too much damage, they'll regrow the bag or net and soon be air-born again once they can 'catch' enough heated air.
There are also two Balloon Plant 'mimics' that seem to be mutations of the original Balloon Plants... specifically a mutation of the bombardier chemicals... which now produce hydrogen when combined rather than producing heat. These plants have evolved to make use of the explosion danger for seed dispersal and to discourage herbivores from eating them.
Tiny Balloon Plants / Sky-Plankton
These balloon plants range in size from small to tiny. While not as small as real plankton or krill, they're about the size of flying insects. They and the Hexapyro Gas-Bags make up the Sky-Plankton that are a regular, required, and vital part of the sky-way ecosystem.- Daisy Chain Kite: Has a translucent balloon, the majority of the plant is present in a small, white cup on the bottom of the balloon. They have a single, long, 'daisy chain' root hanging from the bottom. The large/bulging sections are white, while the connecting/narrow parts are yellow
- Ghost Lantern: Has a large balloon with the body and roots bunched up under it in a thick bundle. It has a lot of thin stems that stick out and slowly arc up, tipped by primitive, bud-like, leaves. It's often compared to a tōrō, or a paper lantern, hence its name.
- Parasol: Has a balloon that is longer than it is wide, and long root extending down from the body of the plant, making it look like a closed umbrella/parasol. Has a lot of flat, long oval leaves extending around the base of the balloon
- Jellyfish: a spherical balloon, with dozens (if not hundreds) of leaves and roots hanging from the bottom
- Puff Sleeve: related to/a mutation of the Parasol. Rather than a long and narrow balloon though, the balloon puffs out into a more spherical shape.
Medium Balloon Plants
Hot-Air Balloon Plants that range between 3-12 feet. They have a strong trend towards a long, single, heavy root while having leaves on top of the balloon proper.- Flapper Dress: Has a large balloon which is hidden by old/dead white-colored leaves like a layered skirt, surmounted by a large bunch of oval leaves that can be aqua or purple in color. It has several long, thin, red-colored roots which are covered in hundreds of large 'frills' or 'bells' of white scales.
- Icicles: These Balloon Plants have extremely lengthy, thin stems with a tiny cluster of roots at the end, small triangular leaves growing in a spiral down the length of the stem, and are bright cyan in color. They have a surprisingly small balloon, atop which blue or purple leaves grow. They have a faint cyan bioluminescence of the stem and balloon leaves
- Stinging Icicles/Spiral Stingers/Suicide Spiral: Closely related to Icicles, the stinging variety spiral of leaves growing down its stem are significantly larger and more noticeable than those of the Icicle Balloon, and are covered in stinging hairs. The 'sting' of this plant has been compared to that of the Gympie-gympie. The Stinger has a blue balloon that is 5 times larger than that of the Icicle. The stem is a bright fushia, and the leaves that grow along the stem are the same bright blue as the balloon. It has a faint violet bioluminescence.
- Veined Purse: These balloon plants have balloons that are plump half circles, with the edge being thin and slightly pinched, and the base being wide and plump. A fine mesh of roots grow along the bottom, hanging like a beard from the balloon, hiding the fat, tubular stem. They are teal in color, and have vein-like streaks that fade from red to purple as they converge towards the base of the balloon. The rim of the plant sports several small bunches of purple and yellow variegated leaves.
- Cinched Purse: Related to the Veined purse, and having the same shaped balloon, the Cinched Purse has a much thicker and longer stalk, and the roots are only present as a small, fine, beard at the bottom of the stalk, with bright green leaves tipped in yellow that grow in a waving/cinched/pleated pattern. The balloon is a translucent cyan blue dotted with small sky-blue spots. The stalks are a bright green, tipped with yellow. The balloon has a faint blue bioluminescence.
- Mohawk Purse: These Purse Balloons have a thick, gnarled stem, which is largely deep blue in color. The top of the stem forms a large scythe-shaped structure along the underside of the balloon. The balloon is cyan in color, with a faint blue bioluminescence. Protruding from the top of the balloon is a 'mohawk' of leaves that fade from deep blue to purple and finally being tipped in a deep red.
- Armor Squid: Smallest of the 'armored balloons', the Armor Squid is typical of the species/type. The scales on the balloon, stem, and leaves secrete calcium carbonate and grow larger and thicker, forming thick armor. The balloon melds into the stalk almost seamlessly and both are an aqua color and has the vague appearance of a squid's head/body. It has thick roots of a pinkish-red color under the stalk, ranging in number from 3 to 18.
Large to Huge Balloon Plants
Hot-Air Balloon Plants that are over 12 feet long. There are three main types: armored balloons, net balloons, and true balloons.Armored Balloons
So named because the scales on the balloon, stem, and leaves secrete calcium carbonate and grow larger and thicker, forming thick armor. The roots also often have the scales forming thorns.- Bull: Named for the multiple cow-like horns projecting from it's massive and heavily armored balloon, as well as the brown (and black) body with heavy white spotting. It has multiple heavy roots, each one ending in a spiked 'mace'.
- Thorn Turtle: Named for it's heavily spiked/thorn covered roots, as well as it's turtle-shell-like balloon with its stalk sticking off to one side, looking like an abstract turtle head. Tends to be either shades of cream or shades of green
- Jelly Thorn: Named for its heavily spiked/thorn covered roots, which when combined with it's overall spherical balloon, it looks like a giant, heavily armored, spike encrusted jellyfish.
Net Balloons
So named because they have a tendency towards spherical balloons with stems that form the 'bottom' of the sphere, making it look like they're just the balloon. The stems of the balloon leaves are large and pronounced, making it look like a net is laying over the top of the balloon. The 'net' effect is reinforced by the hanging leaves/stems and roots, which hang from the outer edge of the spherical-balloon and stem, usually looking like it's a continuation of of the 'net' created by the balloon-stems- Glass Globe: The balloon is a translucent blue with semi-translucent green splotches, and the stem is the same semi-translucent green as the splotches. The net can be brown, maroon, or hunter green. The balloon and stem have a bright cyan or green bioluminescent glow.
- Morel Netted Globe: The balloon and stem are dark and opaque, usually black or a very dark blue. The Net on the balloon is usually gold or tan in color and tends to be very thick and raised, and visually similar to a morel mushroom (hence the name). The hanging stems transition from golden-tan to a deep maroon or crimson and are also very thick and 'heavy'.
- Twisted Ice Net: The balloon is a translucent white, almost clear in some cases. The stem is a deep violet, with bright colored roots hanging beneath it that fade from violet to fushia, the roots are usually quite thick and bloated, and about half the length of the hanging 'net' stems. The net is an ice-blue 'brushed' with snowy-white, and is very thick and heavy, forming a twisted and 'snarled' looking net over the balloon
True Balloons
So named because they're typical for Balloon plants (as opposed to the Armored and Net Balloons), just... really, REALLY big (quarter of a mile or larger!!)- Cluster: In something that is unique for Balloon Plants, Cluster Balloons have several balloons bunched up over and around the stem, which will have multiple branches to try to aim the hot air created by the bombardier chemicals into the various balloons. It has roots that are very similar in appearance to spanish moss, and has a wide array of color types/patterns... some of which can be quite 'psychedelic'. They can grow to the largest known size of Balloon plants (with rumors by Sky-Sailors of an ancient Cluster - always seen at a distance/on the horizon - a mile long).
- Giant Jelly: The largest confirmed form of Balloon plant, with specimens averaging in length from a quarter-mile to a half-mile long. They have a half-dome balloon, covered by millions of leaves, a truly massive stem, with thousands upon thousands of long roots hanging below.
Explosive Balloons
The two surviving/extant Hydrogen producing Balloon Plants. There likely were other varieties or examples of this mutation occurring... but there are only two extant species known today, and both of which have taken their very likely danger of exploding and adapted to have it be used for seed dispersal and 'predation' deterrent... very VIOLENT seed dispersal and the plant that was about to be munched on is now dead... but it's obviously a successful strategy for the species as a WHOLE... mostly... overall. Again only two species have managed to make this odd mutation work for them, soooooo...- Frag Seed / Frag Grenade: The Frag Seed plant tends to be tubular or 'potato' shaped and grows heavy armor made of calcium carbonate much like Armored Balloons. This armor is separated into several segments, very similar in appearance to keeled scales... with each scale having a spike at it's center. These scales are actually a case of the seed of the plant growing on/as part of the leaves. The 'keel' is the seed itself, safely tucked inside a calcium carbonate spiked shell. When the plant explodes (from so many potential sources... easily half of the animals up in the air are Hexapyros after all, and thus possess an electric bite) the seeds are launched away from the plant in all directions... with terrifying force. The seeds can punch into/damage stone and metal, and do devastating damage to wood or flesh. They are, basically, frag grenades writ large. Frag Seed Balloons never stop growing... and thus can range from a one foot long specimen... to reported sightings of specimens over 300 feet long (which good Lord are those given a WIDE berth).
- Zeppelin Plant: Named for it's size and shape, with some specimens being as large as real zeppelins or even larger, with reports of 1,200 foot long examples on occasion. Unlike the Frag Seed Balloon, the Zeppelin went for fire/explosion PREVENTION (as much as it could at least).
The Zeppelin is actually a colony rather than a single plant, and each individual plant is basically an 'envelope'. Each envelope is a tall plump circle. The balloon leaves and steam are coated inside and out with a thick waxy substance that is strongly fire-resistant and non-conductive. They have 'normal' leaves growing along the 'seam' of the circle.
Growing along the outside of the surface/broadside of the circle are thousands (if not millions) of tightly spiraling stems that grow out of the thick waxy layer. These stems are vital for how the zeppelin colony forms. the envelopes will press up broadside to broadside, and the spiral stems will interweave and even 'dig into' the waxy layer. This creates a very strong connection between envelopes that also allows a bit of shifting and expansion/contraction. The spiraling stems only extend out of the center of the envelope on 'unconnected' envelopes. This, combined with how tough and smooth the waxy layer is, essentially ensures that any new/smaller envelopes will adhere to the middle of another envelope.
Envelopes tend to be smaller when not part of a colony... being only 12 feet in diameter. They have a high danger of being tumbled over by the wind, or blown into something, or even being twisted around and bursting. They won't start to grow until they adhere to another envelope. Once they adhere, both will start to slowly grow until they reach a diameter of about 132 feet. An envelope will not grow beyond that diameter. Once an envelope adheres to the middle of another, it will start growing, and will have more spiraling stems push through the waxy layer
The true leaves that grow along the seam of the envelope form a overlapping and 'solid skin'. The leaves, which lack the waxy coating, ARE flammable. However they've evolved to burn quickly, which means that the fire tends to die quickly, which puts the hydrogen in the envelopes in as little risk as possible.
Zeppelins are highly sought after by Sky-Sailors , for a wide array of reasons. Most highly sought is the fire-resistant wax, which Sky-Sailors use on their ships and sails, and is also popular for waxed fabrics... it's water AND fire resistant AND basically electric-charge proof! There are also some who are harvesting the hydrogen gas itself, as it has a lot of uses and can be in decently high demand. Zeppelins are also sought after to be... zeppelins. Sails (or propellers) and rudders are added, small 'ships' are built underneath or hang below, and the Zeppelin plant becomes a Sky-Ship.
Scientific Name
Tillandsioideae Montgolfier
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