Monster World Flora

Note: There are spoilers here, so read at your own risk if you are not up to date with the series.

The monster world has black grass with reddish tips; dark earth; rocks in deep muted colours; and glowing blue and purple crystals that form in the water. The sky is a pale pink during the day that deepens to red closer to the horizon; it turns black at night, with twin moons.

The main tear that leads to the US is located in a valley in the monster world, close to Wyn’s nest, in a fairly empty part of the world known unofficially as the wild lands.

Bolska vine: Hardy, evergreen plant that blooms huge, sweet-smelling flowers in the warmer months.

Dalgit bush: An incredibly toxic plant with brown leaves feathered with orange spines. Its fruit are bright orange, pearl-like berries that grow in long, thin clusters up tall stems, and are caustic. According to Wyn, they will “eat through your guts”.

Dolna herb: Fragrant, floral herbs that grow in slender stems with seeded heads. Dried and used to fragrance rooms in the hyll.

Dros tree: Carnivorous plant with long tendrils that trail from the branches to the ground, covered in a sticky dew-like substance, to trap critters that crawl too close to its trunk. The tendril then slowly curls up around the critter to ingest it.

Himic flower: Huge, bright blooms that glitter in the sun in various shades of orange and red. They have deep burgundy pollen that burns the throat like acid when it is disturbed and inhaled. Observed by Danny and Wyn in Moric Lor’s public gardens in the city of Thinir.

Hona plant: Carnivorous. A large, black-red ball covered in white protrusions that open and close rhythmically to mimic the wings of a rosir big to attract prey. It sits on a giant black lily pad-looking base, that has hooks that emerge when triggered by pressure. Tendrils will then emerge from the base of the plant to draw its prey into the centre of the ball to digest it.

Jakma: A type of plant that grows in the hard, sandy soil near the shore. Tough, spiky leaves that can be stewed and eaten, but their fat bulbs are more palatable, and are typically sliced into thin strips and pickled.

Layth vine: Gigantic plants found growing from the hot springs in the Zoli Basin. They have electric pink flowers that, according to Danny, look like sweet pea and smell sweet. The plants become crystallised from the minerals in the hot pools as they grow, which is why they get so massive.

Lyteg tree and fruit: An abundant monster-world fruit tree with edible drupes that have bumpy, warty, purplish-brown skin, a smooth, purple pit and juicy, pale purple flesh that—according to Danny—tastes like a peach crossed with a blueberry. Edin’s species—isdernucs—lived in forests with lots of these trees before they were all wiped out except for him.

Marast tree: A small tree used decoratively in establishments in the city of Thinir. Its trunk is narrow, but covered in thick thorns that stop small creatures climbing it to reach its fruit. Thankfully, it’s not toxic, because Danny grabs onto one when he trips.

Molt leaf: A small plant with many tiny, brown leaves that are dried and used to make tea with caffeinated properties. Jugs describes it as tasting like coffee with hot cinnamon.

Moros vine: A very large plant species that is toxic, and is grown by Moric Lor’s gardeners in his deadly garden in the city of Thinir.

Nami weed: Thin, yellow stems that grow only in a tiny patch of drylands near the aytorin people’s ruined city in the south. They possess the ability to allow someone to absorb a foreign language with ease. The aytorin use the weed to quickly absorb new languages in their endless quest to gather knowledge. They are a little-known secret, but merchants who do know about them also use them to sell their wares further afield.

Otya bush and fruit: A bush native to the area where the tear is located, and Wyn lives. The fruit grows in fat bunches; they are large, round berries that have speckled, deep green skin and firm, dark green flesh. According to Danny, they taste like figs.

Phorim reed: Reeds that grow along the edges of marshes. Tall, slender and pale with tufts of fluffy dark fibres that sprout from its top. Danny definitely does not look like one.

Roos leaves: Big bushy leaves. Dark grey with white veins. Edible and favoured by vints.

Saffin leaf: An extremely poisonous plant that only grows in the Crepis Flats in Lor’s fiefdom. It looks, tastes and smells almost exactly like yavra leaf, which makes it very dangerous. Only the salyik are experts in identifying it, having lived for eons efficiently using the flora of the Crepis Flats. Saffin is used by Councillor Raynir in Book Seven to poison Lor and Lyri’s mother, and attempt to kill Jugs by poisoning.

Tilik leaf: A light, delicate leaf that is used by vints to steep drinking water. It is Lor’s preferred flavour. Jugs says it tastes like lime.

Yavra leaf: A thin-stalked plant that grows in abundance in the wild and is used by vints to steep drinking water. Lor can’t stand it, because it reminds him of his mother. Jugs favours it, and says it tastes like mint.


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