Corpse Pipegrass

The flute of death

The corpse pipegrass is not rare in the higher levels of the forests of this land. A total parasite, it has become so adapted to leeching nutrients off of others that it has lost its inborn plant ability to produce food for itself through photosynthesis.

– An annoyed Zhang, writing in his massive catalog

The Corpse Pipegrass is so named because it looks like a newly-dead corpse, with little pigment and a waxy feel, the type you get from touching a dead body (no experience). The corpse grass grows parasitically on many Turrim trees, although it preys on Kava sometimes as well. It is also known as The Flute of Death, and has a morbid cultural significance in the societies of the Kalian League.

Basic Information

Anatomy

I hate parasites. And this one, it's the bane of my existence. I've heard that Sarah adores these plants: how she does, I cannot fathom.

– Journal of Taxonomist-General Zhang

The species takes the form of a pipe, and grows on the marshy forest floor, where almost no sunlight goes. The species has the same "seven cellulose fiber" pattern as the kava plant, and it has the similar segmented appearance, although it grows shorter and lacks pigmentation. This has led some to theorize that the plant shares a recent common ancestor with the kava, although this is a subject of fierce controversy.
It is not directly parasitic of trees, but rather of the fungi that decomposes fallen or dead trees. Due to it lacking the need to photosynthesize, it is one of the few plants that have fully lost chlorophyll, and is one of the few food sources besides decomposing trees on the forest floor.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Throughout the lower layer of the kava forests of Zentland. It has also spread beyond that, and subspecies have been found both in and outside of the Dome of Light. Currently, six subspecies have been found, all living in forests around the moon of Clara.

Scientific Name

Tibicinus mors

Origin/Ancestry

Zentland Kava Forest, Clara

Lifespan

10-30 days

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Average Height

50-70 cm