Purpole

Purpole split from its ancestor, moving from the beaches of Leopard Island into the crystal fortress near-monoculture of the temperate woodland. Here, it was able to co-dominate by growing tall and fast, tolerating shade, and dispersing effectively.

This species is significantly taller than its ancestor and incorporates more biosilica fibers into its tissues, making it tough and somewhat flexible. Dead individuals are not very flammable and decay slowly, causing the forest floor to be elevated in some areas by a thick layer of nutrient-poor, silica-rich, peaty soil. Like its ancestor, the root system is deep and fibrous, an inflorescence grows on the apical meristem each season (this produces macrogametes while leaf tips produce airborne microgametes) before a new section of stem and leaf growth begins, and tough seeds (though smaller, about 5 mm wide) germinate after winter dormancy.