| Class: | Symbiont |
| Hab: | Woodlands or brush, tropical or temperate |
| Fre: | Somewhat rare |
| Num: | n/a; infests 10-90% of suitable hosts in area |
| Lair: | 100% |
| Size: | Area; a small copse or a whole woods |
| Move: | None; sessile |
| Def: | Imbedded in host and hard to get at; spores are microscopic |
| Att: | Hurled fruit, modified like solid hardwood; = hurled stones (sling shot) |
| Int: | None |
| Spec: | Possibly |
| Posns: | Bad fruit |
The Shoot-Seed symbiont is commonly misclassified as a fungus, due to a resemblance to artillery fungus. In the real world, artillery fungus grows on wood and decaying wood, whether in a forest or in shredded bark mulch. The fungus grows fruiting bodies which forcibly eject spore packets, small, spherical, and sticky, that may fly for several yards before landing on - and adhering to - a target. The real-world fungus is able to detect light, and aims for light coloured objects.
The fantasy symbiont does this as well, but not by itself. Instead, it insinuates itself into the tissue of some other plant - almost any kind will do - and influences the growth of its host's fruiting structure. The plant will appear as a normal specimen of its species, but will be able to launch its fruit with great force when the symbiont's visual receptors (not sophisticated enough to call eyes) detect movement.
The fruit may appear quite normal. Appearances can be deceiving. Despite mimicking the normal fruit in size, colour, and even scent and texture, it has under its skin a very hard shell, like a nut. This improves its aerodynamics - and its damage. The nut shell is scored, like a pineapple grenade, to, upon impact, the flesh will spill out. The seed-filled flesh is pulpy and extra-sticky, another shoot-seed side affect.
The fruit pulp, carrying both the host's seeds and the symbiont spores, sticks to the target. The target is likely to run quite some distance before the fruit is dislodged. This is quite an effective dispersal mechanism.
There are two additional benefits for the host plant. First, if a large part of the local plant population has been infused with Shoot-Seed Symbiont, the target may be injured and die from being pummeled by hurled fruit and nuts. If it collapses immediately, its rotting corps will nourish the local plants - and their symbionts. If the target limps away, it will become a rich potting medium for the sprouts that soon rise from the fruit clinging to it. The second benefit is driving away herbivores which otherwise might harm the host plants.
There appear to be several strains of Shoot-Seed Symbiont, each of which prefers to colonize a different range of plants. The hosts may be closely related or quite dissimilar, but, once the infestation pattern is determined, further observation is likely to reveal it to be locally consistent.
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