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Inktober 2019 #9: Wingilana Skyplantona

Native to the Sky Buddy World, Wingilanas are cultivated for their rich, golden nectar. It is beloved by Winged Buddys, and a jar of the substance makes a wonderful hospitality gift between Sky and Land Buddys.  

Inktober 2019 #14: Sweetpetal Flyona Cultivated in Sky Buddy World for its namesake petals. They are a common sweetener there popular in tea. They are exported for the annual Tea Festival, held primarily in central Wing Alayna. The petals melt easily into tea, and are thus very convenient, especially for an often-exported item.

I forgot to post these yesterday, so here’s the next batch!

Kanebomi Plant A tall, leafy plant found sparsely in places such as coastal Furheart Iiah, some islands near Warminia Songlianne, and the nooks between Laykia Layna and Amicaia on Wing Alayna. The Kanebomi is a delicious, somewhat savory fruit on par with the Spotil in popularity. It is often imported for cooking, and since it is so rare, is rarely enjoyed raw, even though some may argue it's just as good raw as it is cooked.

Sweetflutes Deep in the Great Buddy Forest, one may happen upon a number of colorful Sweetflutes growing. They are rather hard and glass-like, but when plucked and carved their sound is top-notch. Little maintenance is needed, but they are very hardy and may try to grow back, especially if left in a damp place or abandoned somewhere. They have been known to replant themselves if left on the ground a while, so replucking as well as recarving might be necessary for such a wayward Sweetflute.

  Vin Vinia An odd little vine with even stranger fruits. They might go good in a salad, and dried they can be used to make string or thread. They can also be used to make green dyes. It is a fairly rare plant in Wing Alayna, found only in some parts of northwest coastal Amicaia as well as deep south near (and past) the border of Laykia Layna. It is fairly common in the Reline Ah archipelago, but only found deep inland in its southern counterpart, the Fuline Ah archipelago. 

 Oisha Lalan Though perhaps a somewhat ordinary appearance in the forest, the leaves of the Oisha Lalan are quite well-known for their use in brewing a most exquisite tea. The center of the leaf has a strange, sour, almost sweet taste, balanced by the dryness and slight bitterness of its frayed edges. The plant is rather prolific, such that its leaves are rarely in short supply. It can be found in both the Great Buddy and Pachimori Forests, as well as places in Fuline and Reline Ah. 

 Belia Lunala A fluorescent flower found in Crescent Minoria. In its bell grows an epiphytic Yelia Radiani flower which helps it convert lunar light into a kind of white liquid, which gathers in its bell. This liquid serves to amplify the energy of the lunar light enough to serve the needs of both flowers, while also looking like quite a sight. The white liquid, when stored, can be used to provide light for a long time, though it is not preferred for its bright white light so much as the softer illumination from regular Radiani blossoms or other luminescent flora. The petals also have a rather sour taste, and can add an interesting flavor to tea when brewed. Being so bright yellow also makes its rather unusual slight in Crescent Minoria, as many of its flowers instead have glassy or black petals, so it can also be used as a wayfinder in the dark.

Miniwingola Lifernandes A curious flora that grows in the cloud grounds of Caela Amicaia. It can also grow in soil, but may not sprout its characteristic pair of wing-like leaves there. As such, the wingless variety is usually called by a different first name, such as Thinfrond instead of Miniwingola. Either way, they are fragrant herbs that make a great addition or garnish to any dish. The taste varies depending on the species and where it goes. The sky variety may take on a flavor like rosemary or thyme, while the ground variety sage or even parsley in wetter climates.

Omu-omu Plantai A very long-leafed plant similar to a succulent. It is often kept like an outdoor houseplant, the long leaves being tied up so they don't run along the ground and risk being trampled. In the rainier months the leaves become more cocoon-like unless intervention is made, sealing them off from receiving too much water in the rainier months, as it prefers a more arid climate. The plant can be found in Amicaia, colloquially named The Buddys’ Land, or the northern half of Wing Alayna, and on the continent of Warminia Songlianne, particularly away from the coast where it can get lots of sun without too much moisture. It is thought to originate from the latter, or perhaps a less rainy place in Wing Alayna. 

 Bigleaf Mineep (a.k.a Okipla Mineep) A small flower with a singularly large leaf. It is said that the Mineep puts all its love and care into its leaf, and neglects its flower, resulting in its pale petals and overall wilty appearance. Okipla leaves are favored in leaf-boat making for their size, and are cultivated in the palace garden to help faster production, as Buddys are strangely inept at farming, preferring to seek and gather rather than create large agricultural areas (something about liking grass too much, who knows?) A single leaf can also be broken up and used for salad, though there are some who take pity on the beloved leaf and refuse to use it.

Seafaring Mamolia As the name implies, the Seafaring Mamolia is a strange little flower that grows in the ocean (some may also be found in lakes, but then they'd be lakefaring now wouldn't they?), protecting a tiny flower with its colorful, petal-like bracts. It has a large root-float system to help keep it upright, even in boisterous waves. Strangely enough, they have seldom been seen to wash ashore naturally, and even in rare cases, never run completely aground. Though some still may help a near-washed up Mamolia get back to sea, independent as others claim the flower to be. With its many roots, bundles of them are sometimes dried and used for ropes and strings. The bracts, usually already salted by the sea, can also make quite a nice snack when dried.

Lesser Cloudia Founta (a.k.a Miniature Skypalm) A small tree-plant with palm-like bark. It has very shiny, almost metallic leaves that can be used in the creation of decorative armors, or else just as decoration. It will only grow in Sky Alayna, though it has been found in the cloud lands above Fuline Ah and it's islands as well. It is fairly easy to cultivate, but does not grow well with other plants, preferring the cloud to itself or at least with minimal nearby competition. Otherwise, it can make a fairly nice outdoor plant in one's yard or garden.

Sorry for the lack of updates! I really wanted to get caught up, and I finally have! But I can only post 10 images at a time so I'm gonna post 'em in two chunks anyway. Keep reading for floral info! Also, I really wish I had time for editing this year... They'd look so much better with a little touchup, but I just don't have time for the big-scale editing I did last year. :x I did end up touching up a few of them but there's still so many things I'd like to fix.. Oh well. Anyways, onto floral info!

Thinia Windseed

A thin, watery flower that prefers the wetter climate of Laykia Layna to its northern counterpart, Buddy World (sometimes referred to as Amica Layna or Amicania since the 'World' part can be misleading), but sometimes has been known to pop up there as well during the rainy season. Despite the flower's frail appearance, it is quite hardy, even seeming to prefer windier climates to help spread its seeds far and wide. It is sometimes cultivated as a houseplant as well for its hardiness, and has been known to come in many colors in its domestic variety. There are not many uses known for the flower aside from house decoration.

Berabera Bush

Though natively found in Furheart Iiah and usually grown in continental Wing Alayna, it has been found that Berabera Bushes also grow quite well on cloud ground, strangely enough. Cultivating them there has sometimes led to them taking on a whiter, wispier appearance, but they are also found in their usual coloration as well. Beraberas are beloved for their tart, sweet taste, and a lovely addition to tea, either mixed with leaves or eaten separately. Lovers of fruity teas will especially love Berabera tea.

Cottonlar

Thought to be a relative of their sylvan cousins Flufftuffs, Cottonlars are often seen being grown in cloud ground in Sky Buddy World. The cotton-like substance they grow is beloved for making pillows, and is known to produce fluffy threads when consumed by Fashion Buddys. The whole plant is rather soft to the touch, with the fruits of course being the softest.

Many-headed Laria

A fleshy, fiddlehead-like plant thought to be a relative of the Stafflant and others in the Lar family. They have a vegetable-like taste when consumed, and are often a part of many a sylvan diet. The can be found in Pachimori and the Great Buddy Forest.

Samiana

A relative of the Veriana, the Samiana can be found in Wing Alayna, both in Pachimori, the Great Buddy Forest, and even the plains. Efforts are still ongoing to cultivate the plant, as it seems to prefer wild soil, but is desirable as a houseplant.

Cloudlar

The aerial relative of the Lonlar, the Clouldlar is a soft plant that produces smooth, silky threads when consumed by Fashion Buddys. It is a cultivar of the Lar family that only grows in Sky Buddy World and/or in cloud ground.

Surfing Klaudee

A rare flower that seems to float on its own, drifting about on the sky on small tufts of cloud ground. Sometimes, it is known to use up all of the nutrients in its patch of cloud ground and fall through it, but usually finds another bit to latch onto. There is some question as to whether the flower is a living being, as it seems quite... active, at times.

Wing Alaynia

The namesake of the continent of Wing Alayna, Wing Alaynias are only found in white on its titular continent. Though they do grow on Furheart Iiah and Warminia Songlianne, the ones on the latter grow green, and the former, pinkish. Wing Alaynan Wing Alaynias are known for having the strange, but not unwelcome property of filling one with hope when it is stared at for a moment. Even in the depths of despair, it is said to be a ray of hope for all who stay to gaze a moment at it.

Lyta Flora

These nocturnal flowers are known to glow a warm, brilliant glow at night. Even after picked, the glow can last for a long time, especially if left in the sun during the day. They have the strange property of being able to store sunlight to give off as a glow during the night, and somehow manage to retain this property even if they are not rooted to the ground.

Misinia Curloa

A tall, sylvan flower that can be found growing in the Great Buddy Forest. It is also found on Furheart Iiah and Warminia Songlianne as well. It is a highly-favored flower for tea, as each part of the flower can be used in it. Together, they make a soft, sweet tea. The curly stamen-like bits are especially sweet and melt in hot water, making them useful as a sweetener in other capacities as well, like being or to sweeten other teas.

Today's batch of flowers! Finally, all caught up~ I don't know if I'll be able to stay on top of it this week either, but, worst case scenario I'll just post them in November, lol. Keep reading for more floral information!

Pai-nola Spindling

A young spindling of a Pai-nola tree. At least.... that's what it's thought to be. There has been some debate, due to the longevity of the spindlings in this state, if they are not actually an independent Pai-nola vines, and if there really is any such thing as a Pai-nola tree. There are crude drawings of Pai-nola "trees" in the ancient scrolls, but they've never been seen in their full-grown state. So whether the spindling-like plant is really a vine or a young tree is still not well understood, as Pai-nolas have been known to stay in their spindling state for a long time, even with proper nutrition and in ideal conditions. Legend has it that Pai-nolas have gone dormant, and do not grow past their spindling stage anymore, hence the rise of Pai-nola vines, which can be found clinging to tall objects just like any other vine would. These plants, whatever their identity, can be found growing in both major forests of Wing Alayna, both the Great Buddy Forest and Pachimori, and occasionally even smaller forests. Legend has it they also grow in Crescent Minoria, Furheart Iiah and Batulia Songlianne, but they have never been seen growing there. Although there are some reports of similar plants growing in each of these locations, some may be misclassifications, especially since Batulia Songlianne is known for its barrenness. Though, there may be some merit to the theory, as the snowy environment might suit the alpine plant. Some have even reported fully grown Pai-nolas there, but due to the nebulous nature of Batulia Songlianne, it is still not clear if these, if truly found, were not actually growing in a pocket dimension that has its base on the continent.

Kyurloa Ribbonlar

The silky, pastel, aerial relative of the Lar family. They can be consumed by Fashion Buddys to produce beautiful silk, a highly prized commodity for Dancer Buddys who love to dance with silken sashes. The primary feature of the Kyurloa Ribbonlar is its curly leaves and stem extensions, which are usually picked or eaten first in processing to give the resulting silk a smoother finish. Ribbonlars are quite versatile and can be found growing in many locations such as the outskirts of the Great Buddy Forest, along the Great Buddy River, in the foothills and highlands of the Great Buddy Mountains, in northern Wing Alayna, on Mewga Island, and there are even varieties being cultivated on Fuline Ah. Each of these locations can be found to produce a wide array of colors and textures in the plants, which are highly sought after.

Smallpetal Flyona

A relative of the Sweetpetal Flyona, Smallpetal Flyonas have been cultivated in Sky Buddy World. There is a small difference in taste between the sweetener they produce as opposed to the Sweetpetal, but they are much more prolific and can grow in higher densities than Sweetpetals can.

Biminia Cloudpetal

A tall flower found in Sky Buddy World. It has few known close relatives, and not much is known about what it is used for materially-speaking. Due to its tall nature, it could serve as a landmark of sorts, if only cloudground stayed in place instead of floating about. Due to their longevity, they still have a place in Sky Buddy culture as one of the icons of their realm.

Lesser Skypetal Flyona

A member of the Flyona family, Lesser Skypetals are distinguished by their leafy stems and lack of antennae-like stamen. Generally known as a wild version of the Sweetpetal Flyona, sweetener made from Lessser Skypetals is a lot less sweet, and generally takes more to boil down as its naturally sweet fluid is much more watery than its preferred counterpart. Still, a type of liorice can be made from boiling the stem and it is widely enjoyed, giving it one advantage over the more famous Sweetpetal.

Clearleaf Namiida

Thought to be a cross between the Flyona family and some of the clear plants from Crescent Minoria, the Clearleaf Namiida bears particularly sweet blossoms which rivals that of the Sweetpetal Flyona. Namiidas are also said to glow on nights where the moon is particularly full, leading some to believe it may also be related to Flarowan Pikanas.

Klaudee Minia

Once thought to be the juvenile form of the Surfing Klaudee, it is now understood that Minias are their own species. It is occasionally spotted as a wildflower in Sky Buddy World. Its stamen glow during the night, making them a popular item with Fashion Buddys savvy enough to find them.

Cloudpetal Founta

A relative of the Biminia Cloudpetal, Cloudpetal Fountas look a bit more tree-like, with large, drooping leaves like palm branches. The 'petals' of the Cloudpetal Founta are actually soft seedpods that contain still more cotton within them. The softest garments made by Fashion Buddys often use the inner cotton from Cloudpetal Founta seedpods.

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.

Wispa Klaudaliif

A cloud flower that bears some resemblance to the sky Lar and Lifernandes families. It is also thought to bear some connection to the white Wing Alaynia plants as well due to their resemblance.

Wispa Klaudaliifs sway at the slightest wind, and are known for the undulating movement their stem and petals make during strong winds, somehow always remaining graceful no matter the gale. Some think of it as the seaweed of the sky for this reason.

Wispa Klaudaliifs are wild flowers that may serve as inspiration for itinerant Fashion Buddys, and their petals may sometimes be added to tea, but they have a very mild flavor, making them better suited to merely adding color to any given culinary creation than rather than enhancing something's taste.

Klaudileria

An illusive relative of the Clusteria, the Klaudileria was first discovered in a cloud pocket at the gate between the Storm Dimension and Sky Buddy World. Since then, it has been surmised that the plant prefers to grow in areas like this where it will have more access to diffuse light than it would in the deeper, stormier parts of its home dimension.