Floratober 2023 - Tumblr Posts

Darania Aquabulla

I ran out of time today so info and finished pic will be tomorrow hopefully. For now, enjoy this sketch. The Aquabullas are some of my favorites. I was a little worried starting out with them since the first tends to be my weakest, but I wasn't disappointed by my progress on it. Stay tuned for more flowers.

Wooo, caught up today! Second one's a bit impressionistic... Not sure if leveling it helped or made it worse. Welp! Onto the info.

Darania Aquabulla

Found in the shallower areas of the Great Buddy Lake and areas of equal depth in the calmer parts of the Great Buddy River. Like its relatives, the Darania Aquabulla grow rather fast from seed and begin growing their fruit. They tend to grow in units of four, but may often grow more or less. Their aquabulla fruits detach easily from their stem and float to the surface. Taste-wise, Darania Aquabulla fruits are known for their floral overtone and are a beloved medium for tea.

Busha Blosomas with Vina Heartias

A bushy, low-growing flower that tends to grow in groves with Vina Heartia vines on Furheart Iiah. So far not much is known about them, but they make quite nice decorations. They are often associated with the sea, as they must be imported from Furheart Iiah if one wants to see them in Wing Alayna. They are said to carry the memories of the sailors they've been with and the journeys they've been on.

Despite being native to a warm environment, Busha Blosomas adapt fairly well to cooler weather. That said, they don't take well to northern Wing Alayna soil, but there has been some success growing them on the south side of the Great Buddy Mountains where they can receive some shelter from the rain.

Vina Heartias are one of Furheart Iiah's signature plants, along with the Furheartia plant. It is unclear what their relationship with Busha Blosomas are or why they are found to be growing near or around them. It is thought they have something of a symbiotic relationship, but the details are unclear. They do, however, have similar preferences, with the caveat that Vina Heartias are much more finicky about their environment. With effort they can be grown in Wing Alayna, but due to various environmental factors, Vina Heartias grown there will be green.

Madazumi Mystilief with Pachipachi Vine

This well-like plant draws water from the ground. It is native to Coraln Sing, the continent known for its abundance of water and flooded desert aesthetic.

Since the plant acts like a drain on surrounding land, sometimes plants with lower water needs find shelter by it, such as the Pachipachi Vine.

Madazumi Mystiliefs also tend to become incubators for seedlings that find its way into its expansive blossom, lending to their nickname "Mother Mystilief"

Pachipachi Vines are thought to be related to the Spotil family because of their similar fruits. The fruits themselves have a sour, almost electrifying taste well-balanced with sweetness. Since they only grow around Mystiliefs and other land-draining plants in certain conditions, they're a rather rare find. Nevertheless, their fruits are sometimes used during the Tea Festival when enough of them can be found, either as refreshments or as part of tisanes. Their particular flavor and biological make-up help prepare one for the Ultimate Tea, as their powerful flavor is connected to the amount of ultiminium they contain.

Parts of Madazumi Mystiliefs can be used as decorations, and the sprouts that grow in its water are particularly flavorful. Though the hard texture of Mystiliefs makes them inedible, the water they pull up from the ground is particularly sweet and powerful. It is also thought to infuse ultiminium into the water it pulls up, which could explain why Pachipachi Vines thrive near them, as they require ultiminium to fruit in large quantities.

Water gathered by Madazumis is thought to be an ingredient in the Ultimate Tea, but given the vast amount of it served each year, it is likely that there are other sources of similar ingredients that can be found in larger quantities.

Warawara Stringaana

Also called the Laughing Stringcorn, this rare plant was thought to be extinct for many years until it was found again on an island off the coast of north Fuline Ah and recultivated. The bracts of the plant smell sort of like buttered popcorn, though their actual taste is rather faint but not unpalatable. It is overall a very mild-tasting plant. Its inflorescence is sometimes dried and fried during festivals on the continent, though it is rather dry and tasteless on its own, it can be used to absorb other flavors, or simply dried for decorative purposes.

Celesta Starpetalia

Celesta Starpetalias are only seen at night, particularly on dry nights in the spring, summer and early fall. During the day they gather sunlight, hidden away in their host clouds. At night they shine brightly, lighting the way for powercloud drivers at night.

Elemin Dariana on Young Pura Pathvine

A creeping, flowering vine that can be found sparsely throughout JI. Though it has a preference for dry weather, it is a tenacious vine that can thrive in just about anything. That said, grass tends to out-compete it, so it's rarely found in the wild, much less without support. It is thought to have originated on a northern Fuline Ah island or perhaps a south Reline Ah one, but it is best known for its presence on the Reline Ah continent as a domestic vine. Despite its hardy nature, it takes careful pruning and care to thrive.

The Elemin Dariana is the namesake of one of the first Flower Buddys, Elderflower, and for that reason, Elemin Darias are often called Elderflowers in Reline Ah.

In their early phases, the flower buds have a nutty, almondy flavor. When they bloom, their flavor changes to more of a sweet, faint licorice taste. The stems have a much stronger licorice taste and texture, though since the flower is rather rare, tea and candy made from parts of the plant are rarely served outside of Reline Ah.

A fully mature Pura Pathvine has yet to be discovered. There is even some question as to whether or not they are Pathvines at all or simply a different kind of megaflora, or perhaps even a dwarf species of Pathvine. Still others say that Pura Pathvines are very special, and when fully grown, connect to a dimension that has never before been discovered. Some proponents of the dwarf theory agree that Pura Pathvines have a connection to other dimensions, but instead merely act as gateposts or landmarks, growing near the gate to one, or even acting as the gate itself. Which ever theory is correct, there is still much to be discovered about Pura Pathvines. Known specimens include one in Reline Ah, featured here, and two others, one found between Furheart Iiah, Reline Ah and Batulia Songlianne out at sea, and another between the south coast of Crescent Minoria and Warminia Songlianne. As more specimens are discovered, researchers expect to have a better grasp on the nature of these Pura Pathvines.

Taking a bit of a left turn on the usual formula since I'm running low on traditional plants in the compendium (theoretically still have enough to make it through, but motivation towards those remaining is low).

Haven't talked a whole lot about Buddys (tis the species name so funny spelling) here lately, so a lot of this info may come out of left-field or be hard to contextualize, but here goes.

Flower Buddy Lilypods

Also known by their more scientific name, Flowering Amicans, Flower Buddys are a unique species of Buddy that are born from Lilypods, as featured here. As they're an accessory to Flower Buddys themselves, Lilypods deviate from the traditional model of flora categorization quite a bit, and as such aren't typically listed in flora compendiums. Nevertheless, seeing as they are very much like flora, they could be counted in an annex of an extended compendium in theory.

Lilypods are found naturally in the Flower Buddy Dimension. The first Flower Buddys grew there inside their Lilypods and emerged into the world proper along the coast of Reline Ah, where the Flower Buddy Dimension is connected to. Flower Buddys used to be a lot more outgoing, sailing to many different places on their Lilypads and sleeping in their pods at night. However, after the first Shadow Buddy War, the Flower Buddys retreated back to Fuline Ah and hid there for many years. Some millennia later, brave new Flower Buddys emerged from their dimension and began to explore again. Though there are thought to be others still living on the continent in seclusion, brave explorers are still few. Though they emerge now and then from their dimension, Flower Buddys are still scarcely seen worldwide in JI proper.

As for the Lilypods themselves, Lilypods can be manipulated by the Flower Buddy born from them and have two forms: Pod and Pad Form. Pod Form is featured above as is the Lilypod's default state. When Flower Buddys wish to use their Lilypods to sail without their natural reeds getting in the way, they can will the reeds to recede back into the center of the Lilypad. They can will the reeds back up when they wish to sleep or hibernate within their Lilypods, and can control the internal environment of the pod depending on if they want to sleep for a night or much longer.

Being an extradimensional plant, Lilypods' needs are quite different from a traditional plant's. They are sustained primarily by the dimension itself, sometimes even while outside it, though they may change to a darker shade of green and act a bit more 'sluggish' when apart from their home dimension. When in an environment suited to their needs, they can also rely on it for nutrition in a similar way that they do in their home dimension. They prefer a medium temperature, rich sediment, dispersed light, and for their roots to always be submerged in water. When any of these conditions are not met, they can rely on their connection to their home dimension to provide for them, but as mentioned before, may change appearance and act 'sluggish' by comparison depending on how out of their element they are.

Lilypods can only spawn in their home dimension, and do so independently of Flower Buddys themselves. Flower Buddys themselves bare children the normal Buddy way via Heartegg (though there is scarce documentation about this due to Flower Buddys' reclusive nature and dubious success rate, especially with non-plant species partners) and may select an empty Lilypod for their child to mature in back at the dimension. For this reason, Flower Buddys developed this way may or may not know who their parents are as they emerge from the Lilypod fully mature. That said, not all Flower Buddy pairings choose this method, or may only make use of it for the duration of fetal development, so some Flower Buddy hybrids may indeed be raised by their parents in a more traditional manner.

The Flower Buddy dimension itself is an expanse of water and mist with no discernible sun, though it may still have a day-night cycle that corresponds with JI's day-night cycle. Anything else in the dimension is constructed by Flower Buddys or whoever else has found their way there, typically Flower Buddy partners. There are no other known flora that grow there aside from Lilypods, though there are likely microorganisms and perhaps fish, but there has not been much research in that area as of yet.

Blua Elektraika

A flower found in the Bleuka Stormana Zone of the Storm Dimension. It grows only where lightning strikes blue, and lightning strikes themselves are thought to seed the ground there with Blua Elektraikas. Not much is known about these flowers at this time, as the Stormana Zones are usually found high in the air, only easily accessible to Electric Buddys that can withstand the storm and fly.

Razzisky Zazzleflower

Images of two Razzisky Zazzleflower specimens were among some of the first images recorded of the newly discovered Razazzle Dimension. The dimension itself is hostile to JI matter, so the initial machines sent to document it did not last long in R.Z.'s energy-charged ethos. The flora in the dimension seem to thrive on this hostile energy despite the parched fragments of ground they exist on. Though it's hard to say at this point what the soil composition is, as the rovers sent to scope out the dimension did not get that far before their signal got eroded, the specimens seem rather anomalous compared to standard JI flora, so it might be safe to assume that the energy they're enveloped in plays a non-negligible role in the flora's persistence.

Something else we can glean from the images sent back by the machines is that the Razazzle sky is strangely patterned and extremely bright. Some analysts proposed that the patterns could have actually been from the machines themselves as the energy in the dimension began to affect them, but a comparative analysis with other images sent back reveals that these patterns are too inconsistent across the photos to have been an effect produced by the cameras themselves.

The discovery of this high-energy dimension poses some concerns, as an external data analysis reveals that the Razazzle dimension has begun to root itself in several locations on the JI Planet. If this trend continues, civilians may be at risk of being exposed to the dimension's high-energy field if any of these locations are somehow unlocked. Though there are some suspicions that the Razazzle dimension may have inhabitants capable of opening these gates from the inside. If the gates are opened from the inside, serious measures will need to be taken against a potential influx of high-energy into the JI proper.

Whitia Boubou

A rare flower found in north Wing Alayna, the Whitia Boubou produces a white nectar that, when set out to air, slowly hardens into a cheese-like substance. It has a sweet note to it and the consistency of the hardened nectar is still a bit liquidy like fresh mozzarella, ricotta and other fresh cheeses. Though considerably a rare commodity, it has quite a following for the many applications that its nectar can be used for, and wherever it is found, it is seldom found without Jara Flora set out to collect the nectar that falls from its dangling flowers.

Riciani

A small, mushroom-like tree that can be found on the outskirts of Pachimori and the Great Buddy Forest. Other varieties of it can be found in the Fuline Islands and certain southern Reline Islands. There's even a variety to be found on the coast of Furheart Iiah and in Warminia Songliane. Riciani and other rice-producing plants are a popular commodity with Neonya and Kitonya owners, as the kernels that the Riciani grows are an essential food source for domesticated pets like the Neonya and Kitonya, so its cosmopolitan nature lends itself to being a fairly reliable food source for these pets. That, and, so long as it is near water or is fresh out of the rainy season, it can regrow it's supply fairly quickly, so as long as one is willing to make the trek to the nearest wild Riciani or the nearest shop where the kernels can be found, owners of Neonyas or Kitonyas seldom have a lack of supply. However, these two species must be fed portions rather than left to free-feed, as they are known to devour what would usually last them a week in one meal if left to their own devices. Perhaps this is why Riciani adapted to fruiting so prolifically in a short time, as wild Neonyas or Kitonyas would seldom spare them if found.

Perloa Alnia

A relative of the Alnia family, Perloa Alnias tend to form a hardened ball in their centers as opposed to the more syrupy 'fruits' of the Korana Alnia and Korana Minia. The outside of it is much sweeter especially, and the inside of it is much more mild-tasting than the somewhat bitter taste of Korana Alnia syrup. Either way, it is less common than its relatives and thus a celebrated find when discovered.

Like other Alnias, the Perloa Alnia may be found typically off the coast of Koraln Sing in semi-shallow waters. Like its larger relative, the Korana Alnia, it also prefers growing on toadstool coral.

There have also been occasional sightings of it in the Girinia Warmsea off the south coast of Furheart Iiah towards Warminia Songlianne, which could explain the pink coloration of many of the specimens. In addition, there have also been sightings further out into the Buddy Ocean between Wing Alayna and Koraln Sing.

Fulinean Buddy Tree

Once thought to be a legend, Buddy Trees were recently rediscovered in remote locations on several of the continents. Mysteriously though, this locations are difficult or sometimes impossible to find again, leading some to believe that these locations are in fact pocket dimensions, or perhaps that there is only one Buddy Tree that changes its appearance each time its seen depending on where it is located. The Buddy Tree once grew solely in Wing Alayna, and, as the legend goes, would bear vastly different fruit per year. Another legend states that a guardian of time lives in the knot of the tree, connecting the world to the lands of legend.

It was also once thought that the Storydancers came from the Buddy Tree or perhaps lived in it, or even used it as a portal to visit the lands of legend and bring back tales. Though there does seem to be a connection between the Buddy Tree and the Storydancers, it is unclear at this point whether that connection is merely mythical or has some substance to it.

Storydancers are a particular kind of Dancer Buddy that carry scrolls with them and regale their audience with tales as they perform their dance routines. As they travel about without a home, they often take up residence in the Queen's palace, or stay with a host family before moving on. There are no known Storydancer mixes, and if you ask them why, they'd probably reply that they love story more than the idea of settling down.

Spirra Starra

A recently discovered plant found on Hoshimi Island off the north coast of Crescent Minoria near Koraln Sing. Thought to be related to several other glowing star plants like it, the Spirra Starra is a unique species only found on Hoshimi Island because of the combined climate it receives from its nearest landmasses. Each continent generally causes the flora there to grow a certain way because of various factors. Crescent Minoria in particular causes native plants to grow hard, generally glass-like, dark-colored stems. The glass-like part often applies to the petals as well. The flora there also thrive at night, deriving much of their energy from the Crescent Minoria moon or the stars. Hoshimi Island is situated such that it receives much of this 'climate' from its parent continent, Crescent Minoria, but is far enough away from it that it is not completely 'governed' by it, which in turn gives rise to many different flora that ordinarily would not thrive in Crescent Minoria soil. Though some of these factors are unclear as stems of varying transparency are found on Crescent Minoria, though they do trend towards dark and more opaque. This is thought to be one of the reasons that the Spirra Starra can only grow on Hoshimi Island, as the clarity of its stem is more like that of a Sky Buddy World clearplant, where its nearest relatives can be found. The Spirra Starra is thought to be a hybrid of several Sky Buddy World plants whose seeds fell or blew out towards Hoshimi Island and found a suitable home there. It is even thought that it could be an escaped plant from some Sky Buddy World gardener who had their hybrid seeds blow away on them.

Despite its proximity to Koraln Sing, Hoshimi Island does not receive a very strong 'climate' influence from the continent, but instead receives a general oceanic climate. If anything, it is thought to receive the other half of its climate from Wing Alayna, despite the fact that Wing Alayna is separated from Koraln Sing, Crescent Minoria and Hoshimi Island by many miles of Buddy Ocean. It is thought perhaps this is due to a current that comes down past Mewga Island off the southeast coast of Wing Alayna and around through Crescent Minoria's Gulf of Luna. Since Mewga Island also has a strong 'climatory' influence, however, the theory is unconfirmed. Proponents of the currents theory will generally explain this discrepancy by pointing out that Mewga Island's influence, though strong on the island itself, is not strong enough to be carried across the ocean, and thus is not the cause of Hoshimi Island's blended climate. While it is generally believed that a continent's influence is bound to its surrounding area, anomalies like Hoshimi Island are beginning to beg the question of what happens to land situated on the border of this influence. Another theory is that oceanic climates bring their own 'default' influence, and that default is generally Wing Alaynan influence. Some of this could be explained by their proximity to Wing Alayna, or perhaps even their proximity to other Wing Alaynan-influenced oceans. Either way, Wing Alayna is generally accepted as the standard for normalcy in many areas, including matters of climate. One may even go so far as to consider Wing Alayna the 'default' state of JI, and all other landmasses are varying degrees of abnormality. Perhaps it should be no surprise then that this overriding default is sometimes strong enough to cross miles of ocean and ignore weaker influences. Either way, Hoshimi Island proves to be an interesting area of study on how the continents influence floral growth and adaptation, just how far that influence can extend, how those influences can blend, and even what it means for a flora to be 'Cresent Minorian,' 'Wing Alaynan,' and so forth.

Spotil Giving

Spotils are the staple food of Wing Alayna. They have a taste a bit like a mix between a potato and an apple. These versatile fruits make excellent gifts during the month of Spotilan especially, when they tend to be in full fruit.

Hinamün Malia

A small flower found to be growing here and there in Wing Alayna. Its center mimics the phases of the moon, growing darker as the moon wanes and brighter as the moon waxes. Its flower is very sensitive to rain, closing up at the slightest hint of it. Part of this has to do with the fruit it grows in its center. Though it starts out soft, it becomes harder and drier as the moon wanes, so it is thought the flower closes up to protect its fruit from unexpected changes in humidity. In sunny weather, the flower takes in heat from the sun and 'cooks' the fruit in its center to a cookie-like consistency. For this reason, Hinamün disks are a beloved treat, especially during the Tea Festival if they can be saved until then, as the Tea Festival begins while the rainy season is in full swing, and Hinamüns are seldom seen that deep into the rainy season.

Many-petaled Flyona

Many of the Flyona species are cultivated in Sky Buddy World for their sweet petals and licorice-like stems. The Many-petaled Flyona, as its name implies, bears many petals, though in exchange it is much leafier than the Sweetpetal Flyona, as well as shorter, with a milder, more diluted taste to its petals than its wild predecessor. It has a stronger flavor in its stem however thanks to the extra bulk it has, and its extra petals lend to a certain aesthetic beauty despite what they've lost in taste.

Ranrinia Duplana

Relative of the Ranrinia Triplana, the Duplana species usually comes into bloom around Cloudalon, the third month, as the rainy season is starting to break up. It was thought for a long time that Duplanas were Triplanas in a different phase of life, but it is now understood that they are different species.

It prefers intermittent rain, so it is sometimes also seen at the start of the rainy season in late Zephyrlan, the ninth month, before things get too intense for it.

Like the Triplana, the Duplana can also grow flowers in its center. Though it can't hold as much water, it does gather a little, especially during the rainy season, and the various debris that finds itself in its blossom also helps to support the small flowers that get their start within its petals.

Starla Tree

A tropical tree found on the Fuline Islands and the west coast of Wing Alayna by the Great Buddy Forest. Their fruits can be found in different colors depending on the season, ranging from blue to pink and even yellow. They have a somewhat sour taste in the dry season, pictured here, and are sometimes used for making jam. In the rainy season they turn blue and have a much more watery taste. When the rainy season breaks, they become yellow and have the sweetest taste then.

Tamalia Shuwana

The Tamalia Shuwana grows a fruit with a hard shell. Inside is a honey-like substance. It is customary to use it during the Tea Festival to sweeten tea. Its hard shell dissolves in water, so it only fruits during the driest parts of the year. If it is exposed to rain during this time, the honey-like substance inside it hardens to preserve its shape. Because of its sensitivity to water, the fruit is often harvested when it is dry and kept safe until the proper time when it is customarily used.