Purplecone

Purplecone evolved in the fire-prone habitats of western Darwin, Glicker, and Barlowe. With more vegetation and therefore fuel in this region, adaptation to occasional fires became advantageous. This species has smaller gamete-receptive appendages at bract tips, and fertilized spores are carried to the inner side to mature. When a bract has a maturing fruit, it closes onto the main body and produces a waxy coating around the edges to seal it. Fire melts this wax and causes the bract to open and release the mature fruit, which can be held for several years before a fire comes. Like its ancestor, fruits are ~1 cm long and have a coat that breaks down upon contact with moist soil. A taproot has evolved to access water in dry climates.