Image (Vromoe.jpg): http://imgur.com/4jXtiqG

Article:

{{Species
|image=[[File:Vromoe.jpg|250px]]
|name=Vromoe
|classification=Climbing tree
|designation=[[starwars:Sentience|Non-sentient]]
|planet=[[Kiast (Planet)|Kiast]]
|language=
|height=
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'''Vromon’s fire''', the '''miner’s mistress''', or just '''vromoe''', is a woody creeping plant that grows on the outer slopes of Kiast’s plateaus and mountains. Its effulgent scarlet flowers are often the first thing miners see on returning from their expeditions to the planet’s lower atmosphere, hence its nicknames. The leaves of the plant are harvested to make a smoke-scented tea, and the flowers often feature in the art and decoration of the [[Vatali Empire|Vatali]] and [[Kiast (Planet)#Quorahi|Quorahi]] [[starwars:Skyhook|skyhooks]]. In both these cultures vromoes symbolize the vitality of life on Kiast, the ability to flourish, grow and prosper in an apparently unsympathetic habitat.

=== Description ===
Vromoes are perennial woody climbing trees. They grow on vertical rock faces by means of coiling tendrils, which infiltrate crevices in the stone and anchor the plant. The ovate leaves are dark green and have a glossy, waxy coat. The flowers have five fleshy bright-red petals, centered on golden stamens and carpels, and they emanate a light fragrance, especially in the evening. They are pollinated by several hardy birds and flying insects that nest in the more temperate interior of plateaus. Flowering occurs in the spring and early summer. In the late summer, the flower gives way to a small waxy berry, which goes from green to yellow as it ripens.

=== Distribution and Habitat ===
The plants grows in the temperate and tropical belts of Kiast. They are found on the steep rocky slopes that rise out of the planet’s toxic lower atmosphere. They flourish mostly between 200 and 1,000 meters above the surface of the noxious clouds, as they draw several nutrients from the fumes.

Cuttings of vromoe survive for a considerable amount of time outside of their habitat, but any attempts to cultivate the plant in a different environment have so far failed. The few skyhook greenhouses that do grow them have to replicate the toxic concoction of gases that naturally emanates from the lower atmosphere, which is expensive and hazardous.

=== Uses ===
==== Culinary ====
The leaves of the vromoe are harvested in the early spring, and the younger buds are favored for picking. Processing methods vary, but the leaves are either sun-dried or oven-dried before distribution. Vromoe leaves make a pearl-colored, slightly bitter tea which is distinctive for its natural smoky aroma. Both Sephi and Quorahi use vromoe in the brewing of tea. Sephi vromoe tea is brewed at lower temperatures and for a single minute, and it is served with no additives. The Quorahi custom is to brew it with water just off the boil, thus enhancing the bitterness, and to serve it with copious amounts of sweeteners.

The berries of the vromoe taste extremely sour to most species, and their skin is tough and waxy, so they are seldom found in the culinary repertoire of the local populations. However, stranded or shipwrecked airship crews have been known to survive on the granular fruits waiting for rescue.

==== Ornamental ====
Vromoe flowers are often found as decoration in Sephi households. The boughs, fresh or dried, are a favorite at festivities and celebrations in any skyhook, especially fashioned into garlands and festoons. Depictions of the flowers are also found in the art of Quorahi and Sephi. They feature in the arabesque ornamentation of Sephi architecture, as well as in their fine pottery and furniture. The Quorahi use intricate vromoe patterns in their metalwork and jewellery.

=== Culture and Symbolism ===
Vromoes symbolize life, endurance and finding joy and love in adversity. The plant is named after “Vromon’s fire,” which itself derives from a Quorahi legend. The tale talks of Hirlo and his wife Vromon, who lived on one of Kiast’s many plateaus. Having heard of the riches to be found in the planet’s lower atmosphere, Hirlo left on an expedition. For days and weeks Hirlo did not return, and Vromon saw that he had become lost. So she lit fires on the outermost slopes of the plateau, to serve as beacons for her stray husband.

Vromon fuelled the flames with everything she had in their cottage, until even the walls and the roof had to go into the fire. Only through the constancy of Vromon’s fire was Hirlo able to find his way back. When he re-emerged from the sulphurous clouds, Hirlo and Vromon danced and sung with joy. Though everything they owned had gone up in smoke and Hirlo had found no riches, they discovered the treasure they held most dear was in each other’s hearts.

[[Category:Flora and Fauna]]
[[Category:Odan-Urr]]

{{Species
|image=
|name=Umbaran Shadowbloom
|classification=Flower
|designation=Parasitic
|planet=[[starwars:Umbara|Umbara]]
|language=
|lifespan=6 months
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|height=5 inches
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|distinctions=*Bioluminescence
*Glowing spores
}}

Native to the planet Umbara, the Umbaran Shadowbloom is a bioluminescent flower of great beauty. Known for its bluish glow and penchant for releasing airborne, glowing spores, the flower is kept by many exotic florists for social events and galas of high prestige.

==Biology==

Growing in multitudes on long, creeping vine, Umbaran Shadowblooms are in fact parasitic organisms. Growing in muted shades of indigo and violet, they give off a strong bioluminescent blue glow. The flower itself is a round blossom and has dozens of petals, which open outward and release spores in low to medium light.

Shadowbloom vines typically grow across large, well-established trees, spreading needle-like roots down through the bark of said trees and feeding off of the sap beneath. These roots are fragile but quite sharp, and pose a threat to inexperienced florists as both the flower and the roots conceal potent poisons if crushed. Ingesting these poisons induces powerful hallucinations and stomach cramps in most humanoids, while contact with the bloodstream leads to a fevered and rapid death.

Surprisingly, or perhaps ingeniously, the spores released by these flowers are not venomous at all. The flowers produce them without traditional pollination, using resources drawn from host trees; they then release bursts of spores that float slowly through the air while under most planetary gravity wells. On worlds of high or low gravity, or in its absence, the spores interestingly tend to move in erratic new patterns.

On their homeworld, these clouds will coat flying creatures, who then unknowingly carry them to new trees and allow the spores to produce new vines. While this makes Shadowblooms a potentially invasive species in forests, many gardens and high-society locations keep trees specifically for the plants without issue, as they cannot grow amongst normal flowers and ultimately die out without a host tree. Interestingly, a tree with a Shadowbloom vine will not host more than two or three different vines, leading geneticists to suspect the plants produce some toxicity in their home trees to preserve their monopoly on food sources.

==Uses and Applications==

===Poison and Antitoxin===

Though illegal on most worlds and difficult to distill, Shadowbloom toxin can be refined by experts in chemistry and botany to produce a potent blood-borne poison. This poison is highly expensive to refine, and only has a shelf life of one Coruscanti month unless refrigerated, but is effective against most humanoids known to the galaxy as it interferes with both neural and gastric functions. Some hospitals on worlds near Umbara keep Shadowbloom vines for the production of antitoxin, which if administered within the hour can counteract the toxin and save the victim's life.

===Recreational Drug Use===

Also illegal on and off of Umbara, Shadowblooms will sometimes be used to produce powerful hallucinogens known as "Bloomdust," which is used mostly by affluent members of private clubs. However, due to its short shelf life, a delicate refining process, and the fact that it isn't addictive, it is mostly confined to those who can regularly afford it.

===Decoration===

Kept on trees by gardeners, florists, and socialites, Shadowblooms are often used to accentuate and decorate rooms with their beautiful colors and vibrant glow. Furthermore, their penchant for releasing spores in dim light is often exploited by those holding balls or galas, as their spores appear as slow-floating specks of light that drift between individuals on dance floors and around banquet tables in a captivating way.

Shadowbloom flowers, while heavily regulated, are ideal for such displays as their spores tend to die within mere hours of their release. Bright light kills them outright, and so most galas and banquet halls will have guests pass under such lights to avoid unregulated transmission of spores to other trees. Those who tend such plants will wear thick gloves to prevent poisoning, both in the handling and sale of a Shadowbloom vine.

Shadowbloom flowers can have surprising longevity when separated from their vines, provided they are given a source of nutrients they'd normally get from tree sap. These separated flowers no longer produce spores, and as such they are popularly given as gifts or sold as souvenirs on Umbara. While they close their petals in bright light, they can remain lively for up to one month and maintain their glow for up to two weeks, making lovely decorations for desks or bedside tables.

==Safe Handling and Regulation==

As stated above, Shadowblooms are toxic and pose a risk to those who handle them. These risks are largely mitigated by the wearing of thick gloves on the hands and arms, while some like to wear aprons and masks due to a risk of spore transmission. While nontoxic, repeated spore ingestion occasionally causes handlers to become allergic to the flowers, and while this is quite rare most growers avoid the risk outright. Growers who breed and handle many plants will be well-versed in the transmission risks of the spores, and many choose to handle them exclusively under bright lights to kill spores and prevent additional spore release.

Though organizations like the [[starwars:Galactic Empire|Empire]] and other major governments have little if no concern for the plants, many worlds and systems including and around Umbara heavily regulate their sale and distribution. Growing can require up to three permits, with additional permits for transportation and sale of the plants. Unregulated sale and trade is prohibited, resulting in hefty fines for violation. Release of Shadowblooms into wild populations of flora is a jailable offense on worlds surrounding Umbara, while production and sale of either Shadowbloom poisons or Bloomdust is highly illegal on most worlds under existing laws regulating the sale of poisonous compounds and drugs.

[[Category:Species]] [[Category:Odan-Urr]]

Summary:
Vatali Fall Rose (Scientific Name: Rosa autumnus V.) is a non-native species of Rosid originally haling from the Sephi Homeworld, but has since adapted to the Kiast climate resulting in an unusual property. The unusual property, which makes the flower highly prized, is that the normally lavender colored petals change colors to one of three colors: orange, red, or the rarest of all yellow. This color change has been noted to only occur in the later months of the Kiast year. As this is the time of year for the annual fall harvest festival, the Vatali use this plant as a symbol of change in their festival.

General Description:
A normal specimen of Rosa autumnus V. appears as a small herbaceous plant, low to the ground in various climates with leaves spirally arranged and pinnately compound evenly. The plant itself appears green to green-yellow in color. It should be noted that there are thorns arranged opposite of each other on the stem. They appear to have no toxin associated with them, but caution should be exercised when handling the stems.

Petals:
For most of a standard Galactic year autumnus V. has 5 petals and sepals connected at the base to form a cup called a hypanthium and are a light shade of lavender. Around the 11th month, the color of the petals begins to change into one of three possible colors: Orange, the most common; Red, the second most common seen near the mountainous regions; and Yellow, the most prized color which grows near the edge of the toxic gas layer of the planet.

The unusual change to yellow is believed to be caused by the sulfur in the sulfur hexofluride reacting with the Tibanna gas and oxygen, however Clan Odan-Urr and Vatali scientists are unable to determine the exact right mix to replicate the natural occurrence.

Usage in Culture:
The early colonists noticed the change to the normal Rosa autumnus the first year they arrived on Kiast. The flower was studied by the scientists, who were initially alarmed due to the possibility of a contagion causing the change. After months of study, it was determined that the atmosphere, which in the upper areas had no effect on animals, did have an effect on the plant.

Soon after the colonists took this plant as a symbol of their new home's seasonal change. It was used to determine when the weather was changing, somewhat more accurately than the sensors taken along with them. Eventually as the culture progressed, the flower entered as a symbol of change and the hope of spring.

Sky Rose

A seemly rare type of rose the stocks of the plants are a deeper green then normal and the flower petals are a beautiful shade of Cerulean and white that looks like clouds in the sky.