Auger-Prongion

The auger-prongion5 split from its ancestor. All four prongs wind around an imaginary axis which is centered through the trunk somewhat like an auger. Now all the leaves get more sunlight, allowing it to photosynthesize more efficiently. When a prong snaps, it regrows into the same curved shape, though it may fork in the process and create a tangle.

Like its ancestor, the auger-prongion can take around 30 years to reach full size and can live for centuries. It rarely reaches full size in the shrublands, except when it happens to be near water, due to periodic fire. It can support small fauna in its prongs, but they will snap if anything too heavy--say, bigger than a large dog--tries to climb. It produces both sexual and asexual spores, which are dispersed by wind allowing it to populate nearby islands.