za3k > archive > lexicon1 > Floramateria

Floramateria is the name given to an entire phyla of species in the Mizar star system. The species are characteristically brightly colored (blue to ultraviolet) and shift rapidly in color, triggering a hypnotic effect on some species of tourist. Florameteria spread aggressively, and consume or parasitize other species. Exposure is fatal to humans, and life-threatening in most species. Floramateria send out clouds of reproductive spores which tolerate vacuum, cold down to absolute zero, and resist oxidative processes.

Three theories have been advanced as to the origin of Floramateria, all uncompelling:

  1. Genetic similarity to certain species in Rho-HY472, combined with cold and vaccum resistance , suggest possible travel. The appearance of Florameteria on Mizar-5 corresponds with the appearance of a meteor (the "Unit Star") which could have brought spores from Rho-HY472. This explanation is unlikely- -meteor appearances are common, genetic matches vaguely suggestive more than identical, and no tracked met eors traveled between those two points at the appropriate time.
  2. As a divine plague sent to destroy any spriritual successors to Zan-Taranth, depending on the Rotorastianism sect either by a jealous Zan-Taranth herself or by the Vanguard of Darkness attempting to prevent its own destruction and corrupt the hearts of personkind. Questions of miracles aside, the rise of Floramateria seems to predate the widespread adoption of Rotorastianism on Mizar-5 itself, and this explanation seems to have been instead added later by revisionist scholars on Mizar-4 instead to conform to the Theory of Forgotten Sin.
  3. Co-evolving (as with lichen) with the rust mite, a species parasitic to the Long-Necked Gh'dol. While Floramateria are well-evolved to prey on the Gh'dol (both short- and long-necked), they would des troy the population in short order--too short to allow evolutionary steps to parasitize on other species.

See Don't Touch: A Friendly Guide to the Bentways. A pamphlet found in a Mizar-5 history museum