Bractus

Bractus split from its ancestor, moving to the desert and savanna of Darwin and Glicker. Its characteristic bracts are reduced in favor of a barrel-like stem for water retention. The reproductive appendages still grow on the tips of bracts and produce fruits when fertilized by airborne gametes, but the fruits have thicker seed coats in response to higher desiccation risk. The root system is shallow and fibrous, much like its ancestor. It exhibits a preference for partial shade, growing best on shaded slopes and under larger crystal flora. It also grows abundantly along seasonal stream banks where it can utilize a short-term but consistent and plentiful source of water.