Overview: A typically small, softly glowing plant that can grow down two very different paths.
Description: The Tongue of Lisirra is a nontypical plant. It grows like a flower bud without a stalk, radiating a small amount of heat and light from within the bud. This is the infantile form of the plant, as it awaits the necessary triggers to go down one of two paths of growth. In this infantile stage, it is a fairly delicate organism. It will wilt in too much sun, become bruised or die if bumped or handled roughly. It doesn't grow much during this stage, never really getting more than a foot tall. However, should either of the paths of growth conditions be met, its growth rate becomes astronomically fast.
Growth Path 1: The first path of growth requires several unique conditions to be met, and these are not yet known. However, once these conditions have been met, the plant will begin glowing a soft pink, followed by rapid growth. The plant can grow up to thirty feet tall and ten feet around at the base. The pink light it gives off is incredibly warm, and will begin to rapidly speed up growth of any plants the light falls upon. This eventually causes other plants around it to overtake the Tongue of Lisirra, and eventually the bud will burst, sending out floating, feathered seeds to be spread upon the winds, while the plant dies. Once it is dead, the growth rate of the plants around it return to normal.
Growth Path 2: The second path of growth simply requires the plant be touched by one carrying the essence of Lisirra. This could be one blessed or cursed by Lisirra, a mortalborn of Lisirra, Lisirra herself, or anything similar. Once touched, the plant turns a deep shade of purple, casting off a deep purple light, cold to the touch, as it grows to its full size rapidly. This deep purple light begins to twist and warp the other plants around it, causing them to take on poisonous, toxic, and other deadly qualities. This path of growth does not allow for the plant to reproduce, but the plants around it begin to grow and twist in ways to hide and protect the Tongue of Lisirra. If one of these Tongues lasts long enough, it will form a protective forest around itself, its influence continuing to spread.
Appearance:
Infantile stage - About 1 foot tall bud, producing soft, yellow light.
Growth Path 1 - Bud shaped, Around 30 feet tall, ten feet around at base, producing warm pink light.
Growth Path 2 - Bud shaped, around 30 feet tall, ten feet around at base, producing cold, dark purple light.
Location: Anywhere on the southern continent
Hazard / Toxicity: This plant is not directly toxic or hazardous, however Growth Path 2 does cause other plants to become poisonous, toxic, or otherwise hazardous.
Uses: None yet discovered
Credit: Hankley