Rosefruit

Rosefruits are a small fruit-bearing plant species found in the lowlands of the Equator Range. A popular food, entire orchards are dedicated to growing this large species of berry.

They attach themselves to woody epiphytes, controlling the other plant by inserting its roots into the other plant, slowly killing it.

Anatomy

Rosefruit Branch by Mochi

An epiphyte, rosefruit grow in pairs or triplets on other epiphytes, particularly woody plants. The vast majority of the plant's structure is the fruit itself, with up to a hundred seeds inside.

The fruit has a thin purple shell, hard enough to require some force to open, but soft enough that it can be cracked between the palm of both hands.

Inside is a lighter purple flesh, with two rows of small brown seeds. When the fruits grow too large and too heavy, they drop and fall to the ground.

Uses

Rosefruits are a common fruit eaten by lowland runos. They are fast-growing, are nutrient-rich, and kill off many invasive and parasitic plants. Their native region is the lowlands and they have zero negative effect on the other native flora, rather protecting them from invasive plants.

Many runos extract a natural dye from the juicy flesh, squeezing it in thin cloths and towels, or using industrial machinery to extract the dyes en masse. The dyes are culturally significant, a popular dye used when painting the eyes of white tigers during Tigrin Ta. During this festive day, runos paint themselves as white tigers, scaring each other and re-enacting great battles between the two species.

Sliced Rosefruit by Mochi

Lifespan

10 years

Geographic Distribution

• Equator Range
• Maloruno

Related Articles