Terra 2: A Second Tree Of Life

Cloverweeds

15 Million Years Post Establishment

Grasses and flowers of all kinds have been having an evolutionary hay-day over the past 5 million years, but none have had such a fast and widespread boom in success as the clover family. Bamboo is currently the most succesful grass on the planet and may remain so for hundreds of millions of years, but they are not the only clade who's versatility in the face of adversity lead to success. Keep in mind "dominant" does not mean most varied. Instead, that title indeed goes to the clovers, who's prosperity in the riverlands was just the start of their global colinization. While their ancestors did struggle initially, as rain fall decreased over the eons and sufficiently moist soil became rarer and rarer, they eventually found refuge within the Okiinan Riverlands where they have now outcompeted nearly all flowering plants (with some species even evolving flowers of their own) and even grass itself, save for bamboo. There were blade shaped, grass like species of clovers, vine clovers, bush clovers and even tree-like clovers up to 4 meters tall. They completely dominate the riverlands and after doing so well eventually decided to conquer the marine environments as well. Sea grass and riverine prism-algae makes up the majority of marine flora, however they all have one seemingly minor flaw; they are too adapted for the rivers. If and when the riverlands dry up, which they will, these species will be starved and left homeless, most likely going completely extinct. The clovers have something up their metaphorical sleeves, however. The cloverweed.

Above; The cloverweed's amazing "double bush" adaptation may allow them to spread into deeper waters in the future, dominating Terra 2's oceans for eons to come.

Cloverweeds have evolved an extroadiniary method of extracting nutrients from not just the soil, but the water too. They have evolved what is essentially two pants in one, having a broadleafed bush above ground who's roots extend into the nearest water source and reemerge, growing into a sort of thin leaf sea-kelp. This adaptation (rather boringly called "double-bush") is what has allowed cloverweeds to not just become the dominant bush in the Okiinan riverlands and northern praries but also to conquer underwater enviroments, out competing even multiple species of seakelp. What is even more amazing is that they can willingly shed their above ground or underwater leaves, specializing for whatever nutrient source is most abundant in its environment, sometimes shedding both if resources are particularly scarce and awaiting for nutrients to appear again. And thus, the cloverweeds have colonized riverine ecosystems in Okiina, becoming a master of both land and sea. However, while they may be able to live on land and in water at once, they are not able to live too deep in the latter, leaving the riverbed untouched. This is mainly due to their reproductive cycle which involves a land based seed that must be dispersed above ground, a cycle which is impossible to execute if the original root system is too far beneath soil. So although they can cut ties with their land bushes and live for the most part entirely submerged, they must stay within 5 feet of the surface or else their offspring are impossible to produce. Maneuvering this obstacle will be no easy task if the cloverweeds wish to become a fully aqautic clade. Time may be on their side, but the cooling world of Terra 2 decidedly isn't.