Hairoot

The Hairoot split from its ancestor the Strangleroot and spread into the Vivus Temperate Rainforest. Adapted to cling to stones, these organisms began to climb the Gargantuan Obsiditree to get ample sunlight in the more competitive environment of the Vivus Temperate Rainforest. The spherical centers of the Strangleroot became more numerous and some adapted into flat, trunk-facing adhesive pads that use many tiny hairs to grip the Gargantuan Obsiditree.

More small hairs cover the branches of the Hairoot, which act as trichomes to collect and channel moisture from the air. The Gargantuan Obsiditree “sweats”, using evaporation to cool down its dark black surface and avoid overheating. Given the sizes to which these organisms can grow this creates something of a microclimate around the Obsiditree, with the air near the trunk being more humid than the surrounding area. This allows the Hairoot to grow without a connection to the soil.

Like most members and descendants of the Pioneerroots genus group, the Hairoot is host to nitrocycle microbes which live in its roots. These roots extend from under the main bodies of the organism, finding crevices and holes in the Obsiditree. When these main bodies receive enough sunlight they begin to produce airborne spores. On a fully grown Gargantuan Obsiditree, with the right wind conditions, the spores of a Hairoot can travel incredible distances. Thanks to this dispersal method the Hairoot can be found almost anywhere there are Gargantuan Obsiditrees. Once a Hairoot spherical body ceases to receive adequate sunlight due to the growth of its host it will die and be discarded. This returns nitrogen to the soil beneath the Obsiditree.