Mallowdrop Plant

Ganinon

Aspiring Member

Gained Aura: 9
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 280

Mallowdrop Plant

« on: 26 May 2010, 02:04:16 »

Categorization: Medicinal Herbs / Healing Herbs

Overview: This plant, with its bright Cyhalloi Snow petals tipped with a faint Waterberry Blue coloring, is a beautiful sight. It also has many other uses besides looking pretty. Almost every part of the Mallowdrop plant has a medicinal use, and can even be made into a healthy candy for children called a Mallowdrop. This has led to the region of Enthronia becoming populated with many large plantations growing the plant. This plant can survive anywhere that is sunny and moist during the spring and summer. The roots can survive a light winter, and the next spring and summer the plant will grow back even larger. In undisturbed areas, they have even grown to the height of an average human.

Description: The size of the Mallowdrop Plant varies, depending on how many years it has been growing for. The largest on record was 2 peds and palmspan, and this was grown by a farmer in the Twynor grasslands. There are a few stories that get told of ones as tall as trees, but these are dismissed as myths.

The pale green stem is usually around a nailsbreadth wide, and has thin, diamond shaped leaves. The number of leaves on the stem depends on how many years the plant has been growing for. Each year, the stem grows to be larger and a leaf is added in this new area of the stem on the opposite side of last year’s leaf.

The flower is about a palmspan, with 5 large petals that overlap at the bases. Each petal has white near the center that quickly fades to a pale blue or light purple at the tips. If you look closely you can usually see a few strands of color reaching down toward the center of the plant just before the transition of colors begin.

The roots of this plant are usually a grey color and only a grain wide the first year. This is when the plant is most vulnerable. Even a small animal can stunt the growth of the plant. Each year, the roots grow to be thicker, as well as reach deeper and farther out into the ground. This helps the plant become stronger and more durable. Large Mallowdrop plants can survive through most weather and can usually take a slight beating from animals before being affected. If multiple Mallowdrop plants grow near each other, the roots will often become entangled, providing further strength for each plant.

After the flower dies in fall, a pod containing seeds will grow in its place. The pod usually will be a few nailsbreadth wide and long and be a light green color. The pod will slowly fade to a grayish color, and this is the time to harvest the pod for more seeds by cutting the pod from the plant.

The seeds of the Mallowdrop plant are black, and around the size of a sunflower seed. In each pod, you can find between five and ten seeds. Each seed has the potential to become a large, beautiful flower. There is research being done that may suggest that the seeds that come from a fast growing plant, also grow fast, and seeds from a slow growing plant, grow slow. This claim has not yet been confirmed.

Territory: The Mallowdrop plant is mainly seen throughout the Enthronia Province and can even be seen growing wildly in the Heaths of Wilderon. Though these are the most common places for Mallowdrop plants, it can grow anywhere with enough sunlight and moisture in the soil.

There are a few large estates scattered throughout southern Santharia, especially in the Enthronia province, filled with Mallowdrop plants. Enthronia is the main exporter of Mallowdrop plants, and when traveling through the countryside, you may pass several leagues filled with the plant. Within Enthronia, the city of Carmalad is especially known for trading Mallowdrop plants.

Some who want to have a challenge have also bought seeds to grow Mallowdrop plants around their home, and to try and see how large they can grow them. Anywhere that someone has sowed a seed and left can now be found with several Mallowdrop plants around it. The plants are quick to populate an area when the conditions are ideal.

Usages: The Mallowdrop plant has many uses, most of them being medicinal. Every part of the plant can be used in some way. Those that use it, often dig the whole plant up in late fall, just after the pod begins to grow. The sap in the roots and stem is used to make a tea that can soothe a sore throat and help relieve coughing. It can also be made into a candy that will help an upset stomach. The slimy sap can even be applied to cuts to help prevent infection.

A person can also chew on the bitter petals, and have a sweet smell placed upon their breath. If chewed daily, it is said that the person's teeth will never turn yellow.

Reproduction: The Mallowdrop plant self pollinates, and produces a pod of seeds in late fall. In each pod, there is five to ten seeds. The pod will fade to a grey and as the plant starts to die, the pod will drop off and be buried into the ground.

Once in the ground it will survive through winter and then begin growing the next spring. It is thought to survive the winter by freezing along with the top layer of the ground. Somehow the contents of the pod aren’t destroyed by the freeze and able to begin growing once the pod and ground thaw.

When the Mallowdrop plant is not grown by farmers, and left undisturbed in the wild, only one or two seeds will survive to be plants. These two seeds that grow fastest will usually choke off the growth of other plants and take up the space themselves. Their roots will become entwined and help strengthen each other.

Myth/Lore: It is thought that the Mallowdrop plant originated in region surrounding Carmalad. After it was found to have medicinal uses, it was then sold or traded and eventually spread all over Santharia. Some even took it all the way north to the Heaths of Wilderon, where you can find it growing wildly. This area is one of the few places of the north that is known to support the Mallowdrop plant. The roots don't seem to be able to with-stand the harsh winters of the north anywhere else.

The plant was named Mallowdrop after the candy that can be made from it. The healthy treat is often given out to children by concerned parents. It will satisfy the child’s craving for a candy, but will still be healthy for them to eat.

There are also stories of Mallowdrop plants that grow as tall as trees. Usually the stories claim that this "Mallowdrop Tree" is on the continent of Nybelmar, in the deep unknown forests. These stories have never been confirmed and are considered myth.


« Last Edit: 22 January 2011, 10:41:31 by Artimidor Federkiel »	Logged

Azhira Styralias

Santh. Member

Gained Aura: 117
Online

Online

Gender: Female

Posts: 2.679

Mód’dél’áey

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #1 on: 26 May 2010, 04:53:12 »

Not that I know of, Gani. If inspiration hits, go for it!

*ahem*

Got an idea for a Northern variation? My region has so few plants...


	Logged

No, I would not want to live in a world without dragons, as I would not want to live in a world without magic, for that is a world without mystery, and that is a world without faith. And that, I fear, for any reasoning, conscious being, would be the cruelest trick of all.

Development Schedule

Ganinon

Aspiring Member

Gained Aura: 9
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 280

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #2 on: 26 May 2010, 05:30:01 »

I'll see what i can do...

No promises though. Gotta figure everything out for a normal first before i try to change it.


	Logged

Ganinon

Aspiring Member

Gained Aura: 9
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 280

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #3 on: 20 July 2010, 08:27:50 »

Finished the first draft of this. Comments welcomed. Will probably add more to this later. Seems a bit short at the moment... undecided

But i probably should go sleep. lol


	Logged

Azhira Styralias

Santh. Member

Gained Aura: 117
Online

Online

Gender: Female

Posts: 2.679

Mód’dél’áey

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #4 on: 21 July 2010, 04:58:03 »

The only other northern area for the marshmallow may be the Kanapan lands. They are not quite as cold and snowy given their location far east of the Icelands.

Meh...we know so little about the Kanapan lands anyway. That is one are that needs a developer. I don't claim to know much about it myself. I think Heaths of Wilderon are probably the best northern place for these. Sunny moist soil is best left in the south.


	Logged

Development Schedule

Ganinon

Aspiring Member

Gained Aura: 9
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 280

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #5 on: 21 July 2010, 06:26:45 »

Added a bit of Myth/Lore, to help with how it managed to get to the Heaths of Wilderon.


	Logged

Tikanni Corazon

Aspiring Member

Gained Aura: 27
Offline

Offline

Gender: Female

Posts: 80

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #6 on: 02 September 2010, 06:11:44 »

Hey Ganinon!

This sounds like a pretty cool plant, and there are some good ideas in the entry. It just needs a little more description in places. For example, the flowers would be easier to picture if one knew how many petals there are, and what shape they are. The colours sound beautiful, and it would just make it easier to conjour up the image with just a little more detail.

I am also going to give a couple of pointers on the lay-out and grammar, which makes me feel like such a hypocrite, as I am always making such mistakes. But I'll give it a go anyway, just from what I thought when reading through the entry. And if I'm wrong about anything, someone can come and give me a rap on the knuckles for it.

I think that you should try to put the sections into smaller paragraphs, as one large clump of writing can be difficult to read. When I am writing, I tend to start a new paragraph for each new aspect of a section. Take your description section, I would lay it out like this:

The size of the Marshmallow Plant varies, depending on how many years it has been growing for. The largest on record was 2 peds and palmspan, and this was grown by a farmer in the Twynor grasslands.

The pale green stem is usually around a nailsbreadth wide, and has thin, diamond shaped leaves. The number of leaves on the stem depends on how many years the plant has been growing for. Each year, the stem grows to be larger and a leaf is added in this new area of the stem on the opposite side of last year’s leaf.

The flower is about a palmspan, with large petals that quickly fade to a light purple or blue at the tips. The roots of this plant are usually a grey color and only a grain wide the first year. Each year, the roots grow to be thicker, as well as reach deeper and farther out into the ground. If more than one Marshmallow plant is grown in the area, the roots will often become entangled while growing.

After the flower dies in fall, a pod containing seeds will grow in its place. The pod usually will be a few nailsbreadth wide and long and be a light green color. The pod will slowly fade to a grayish color, and this is the time to harvest the pod for more seeds by cutting the pod from the plant.

It just breaks it up, and makes it easier to read.

The second thing I am going to mention is something that I myself do all the time, and I have to read through my entries 3-4 times to try and pick up on it, and even then it sometimes slips through anyway.

It is repetitiveness, though I have only noticed it in one part, and that is the part about the seed pods. You have written 'the pod' 3 times in the same sentence, and this needs to be reduced by 1 or maybe 2.

I think there are also a few places where a comma is needed, but I'm not even going to attempt to point them out to you, as I am an excessive user of commas, and would most likely end up over running your entry with them. But there is one needed here and there, just to break up the sentences a little.

From my limited experience, I would say that this has the potential to be very good, as you have some cool ideas, it really just needs a little more description, and slight grammar work. But well done so far.


	Logged

Ganinon

Aspiring Member

Gained Aura: 9
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 280

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #7 on: 10 September 2010, 05:13:05 »

Thanks Tikanni! I have been meaning to running through this with a comb for awhile now. Last week got my wisdom teeth out so that put an end to my plans kinda quickly. lol

But in the next few days i plan on running through this. Thanks for the help!


	Logged

Ganinon

Aspiring Member

Gained Aura: 9
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 280

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #8 on: 20 November 2010, 20:28:36 »

Okay. I want to get this finished.

Ran through this, adding the things in orange and tried picking out as many mistakes as i could. Comments welcome.


	Logged

Azhira Styralias

Santh. Member

Gained Aura: 117
Online

Online

Gender: Female

Posts: 2.679

Mód’dél’áey

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #9 on: 26 November 2010, 15:20:06 »

Oh Gani, what a cute little plant here (seems like you've been working on it forever!

)

A comment concerning the territory. You mention the plant can grow anywhere with a sunny climate and moist soil, but does that mean it does grow there? I didn't get a clear idea of exact locations where the marshmallow plant thrives geographically. Or is the marshmallow like a real life dandelion (ie weed) that does seem to grow anywhere?


« Last Edit: 26 November 2010, 15:22:01 by Azhira Styralias »	Logged

Development Schedule

Ganinon

Aspiring Member

Gained Aura: 9
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 280

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #10 on: 26 November 2010, 19:21:48 »

Thats a good question... I think it might be interesting to have it be like a weed that grows... but then again, it would become very common then... I'll see if i can work out a better territory section. Thanks for asking a very good question. lol


	Logged

Ganinon

Aspiring Member

Gained Aura: 9
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 280

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #11 on: 26 November 2010, 20:36:10 »

Rewrote the territory. Does it give a better picture of where it grows now Azhira?


	Logged

Azhira Styralias

Santh. Member

Gained Aura: 117
Online

Online

Gender: Female

Posts: 2.679

Mód’dél’áey

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #12 on: 27 November 2010, 02:07:09 »

Looks much improved, Gani! One more suggestion: the plant has some good medicinal uses, and you touch upon the fact that once that benefit was discovered, the plant spread everywhere. Would it make sense to have farms of marshmallow plants that farmers grow to sell? Large fields of marshmallow all about Enthronia where the provinces' merchants are expert at developing new uses for the plant. Perhaps marshmallow growing is a significant business for Enthronia and other parts of Santharia? Marshmallow plantations and trade could mean big business for a province!

In other words, what you have done is impress upon the reader the significance of the plant, and that is seems easy to grow - so go a step further and develop an actual economic industry surrounding the cultivation of marshmallow.

Of course, this is just a suggestion, and the entry is great as it is. I don't want this to slow down the entry again! cool


	Logged

Development Schedule

Ganinon

Aspiring Member

Gained Aura: 9
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 280

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #13 on: 27 November 2010, 02:58:07 »

Well I took a step toward that saying that there were large plantations scattered, but I didn't know if i would be over-stepping bounds or anything by creating an industry for the province. It could easily(in theory

) be added into the entry and would fit it even more. I just didn't want to step on anyone's toes.


	Logged

Azhira Styralias

Santh. Member

Gained Aura: 117
Online

Online

Gender: Female

Posts: 2.679

Mód’dél’áey

Re: Marshmallow Plant

« Reply #14 on: 27 November 2010, 03:26:11 »

Oh, this entry has so many possibilities! grin

I don't think anyone would mind if you develop a marshmallow industry. I think something like that helps make provinces and tribes unique if they specialize in special marshmallow medicines and syrups. I eagerly await a developer to create special Northern industries such as medicines. Perhaps marshmallow is a major trade item with other regions such as the North (Kanapans or Daurooth) and maybe Nybelmar.


	Logged

Development Schedule

Pages: [1] 2

Santharian Development

Forum

Santharian World Development

The Santharian Herbarium (Moderators: Bard Judith, Miraran Tehuriden)

Mallowdrop Plant