#wait- I actually got it all written down in one session??? well dang hooray

[kihaku-gato]

OCs their symbolic flowers and the Hoepian floral equivalent

Dusting off old brain notes, cause of a time I’d include/place a “symbolic flower“ for every OC just cause.

Terra- Tiger Lily

“ these flowers are representative of pride. ”

“this particular lily is more often associated with the more aggressive feminine characteristics.“ [x]

While the first line actually works for Terra well (she does hold fondness for her own hard work) I’m pretty sure I chose Tiger Lily for her cause of the latter line way back- though one could very strongly argue Terra might not fit the bill of Aggressive Femininity (idk what that’d even be visually) I’m pretty sure I took the line literally at the time as “a woman who’s strong/aggressive“.

Outside of that I probably chose Tiger Lily cause the orange/black pattern of the flowers match with Terra’s red/black clothes.

“The Tiger Lily is said to mean "I dare you to love me"“ [x] Terra is not really one after romance, yet this feels very weirdly Terra-esque.

Hoepian Tiger Lily (Lilium flareonsis)

“Evolved from the Earth Tiger Lily (Lilium tigrinum), the physical differences between the two are surprisingly few. Found in open woodlands, fields and meadows, it absorbs the sun's rays and converts them into flame magic which is stored in it's bulbs. The flame magic makes the bulbs rather spicy, hence they are a very delicious (but common) delicacy. They are also used to start campfires and bonfires. Although harmless alone, they can be potentially dangerous when growing near the magically impressionable Soul Daisy.” [x]

One of the few species of Hoepian flora to not diverge much from its Earth ancestors (two of the others being Ginkgo macrophylla and Ginkgo triloba from Earth’s Ginkgo biloba). They have a huge morphological similarities with Lilium tigirium and Lilium superbum, but the petal patterns are very different; black spots towards the center alike to L. tigirium but also have stripes widthways nearer to the ends of the petals (a characteristic not at all like any Earth lily species). Also like most Hoepian flora, Hoepian Tiger Lilies do not have green foliage, and instead have red foliage.

Kayla- Daisy

"Daisies symbolize innocence and purity.” [x]

Being that Kayla is considered one of the more innocent and purer characters (at least to a degree) this is not a huge surprise this flower ended up being her flower.

Soul Daisy (Magiflora australis, M. borealis)

[My old excepts on this flower is a bit hefty so let’s make it shorter-] Soul Daisy flowers/seeds are harvested for purified magic- so is often grown agriculturally for mana-based industries. Being the magic in question is in its purest form, it changes/meshes to whatever element/magic that’s in its presence (ex- a breeze could become a strong wind gust due to the magic making Wind Magic) making it potentially hazardous if one is late to harvest fields of this plant.

While an agricultural crop it is not entirely domesticated; the outer edges of Soul Daisy fields develop needles to make a protective barrier in the masses from herbivores.

The flowers look very similar to Earth daisies; a pinwheel of long white petals with a faint blue/cyan stripe that makes a ring when all the petals are together on the flower. If altered by magic Soul Daisy flowers change colour to closely resemble the magic they are changed to. All but 4 of the petals are rounded, the said 4 are spit on the ends, making a mild resemblance to a cross.The stems are black on older growth, while younger growth is a vibrant pink. The leaves are violet in colour and look like rounded fern fronds.

Despite the name “Soul Daisy“ there is not much spirituality involved for this flower when it comes to Hoepian culture. It may be named so cause of the cross pattern, or cause of it producing the purest form of organic magic (like the “soul of magic”).

Unlike Earth Daisies, Soul Daisies also have the symbolism of impressionablility due to the pure magic that so easily changes to the elements around it.

Harriet - Sunflower

“Many groups associate sunflowers with prolonged constancy and loyalty,“

“Various faiths have adopted sunflowers to express a symbol of worship and faithfulness, as in the flower’s faithful dedication to the sun.“ [x]

Harriet is very loyal and ride-or-die for her friends so the former goes without saying. Harriet can be very idolistic towards very beautiful women (like Riivar) so worship might be a lil on the nose. I actually chose Sunflowers for Harriet cause of her sunny attention-seeking disposition, akin to the bright attention grabbing sunflower.

Water Sunflower (Haquanthus volitariflora)

While descended from Earth Asteraceae, this plant has adapted to the ocean and looks like a blend of sunflower and kelp. Sparse in rich sunny aquatic groves, but are in larger thickets/forests (of its own species) in colder/sparser waters. They are grown in some coastal settlements as the oil rich seeds are a food source. They are also a favoured snack for amphibious animals.

While the roots are anchored to the rocks, the leaves and even the flowerheads are full of air to keep the rest of the plant afloat. The large flowers are very resembling of Earth’s Mammoth Sunflowers.

The flower/seedheads are large and full enough of air to hold a small person afloat, though it would be a very bad raft alternative.

Riivar- Forget Me Not

“Forget-me-nots represent long lasting connections that can exist between not only lovers, but also friends. This connection can’t be broken or shaken by anything or anyone.“ [x]

Back in her child/teenhood she was head-over-heels in love with Terra, who was Riivar’s first love too. It didn’t work out but she still holds a tenderness for Terra and will not forget that first love.

Memberance Tree (Neomyosotis flexilis)

“A tree descended from the annual Forget-Me-Not plant (Myosotis spp.). They are sexually dimorphic flora; the female plants/flowers stay short and small like their Myosotis ancestors, while the male plants grow into gigantic willow-like trees, which spread their pollen around through the wind. Also like their ancestors they are most commonly found closeby waterways and marshes. On Hoep they have similar symbolism to the Earth Forget-me-not.“ [x]

The stems/wood are a deep purple while the leaves are a dark pink. The flowers are identical to Earth Forget Me Nots.

Riivar has a large tattoo on her back that’s a broken heart surrounded by Memberence tree flowers. It’s multiple layers of symbolic; it represents her first love (Terra) but also represents her remembering her roots she left behind. The broken heart has an additional meaning; her stepping down from her royal heritage.

Demauria- Venus Fly Trap

Sadly could not find an applicable symbolism; I don’t even remember why I chose Venus Fly Trap for Demauria (a more ice/cold thematic flower would’ve perhaps been a better choice). Perhaps I wanted a ferocious plant for a ferocious personality. I may change this if I ever find a better flower to represent her.

Gator Jaws (Lagartofolia dentislux)

“A carnivorous wetlands species that is found in abundance in the country of Swamani, and in lesser frequency outside the country’s borders. They are quite common in unlit rural areas and rarer near urban areas especially if the cities are illuminated at night. It is a plant that has adapted to attract insects for nutrition at night by illuminating it’s “jaws” during dark hours. Light illuminates on the tips of the “teeth” of the modified leaves as well as inside in leaves itself. Like the Venus Fly Trap which it evolved from, it has hairs inside it’s jaws to help detect and trigger the mouth to close and digest its prey while inside. Also like it’s ancestor, it flowers infrequently and younger specimens tend to die after flowering. The foliage colour of Gator Jaws can range from red/purple to green/orange, and it is not uncommon to find an entire range of different coloured specimens in one area.

There isn’t much agricultural or herbal significance for this plant, however it is still commonly used in Swamani to edge along and illuminate major roads and routes so that the paths can be easily seen and used at night. The macrophylla form of the plant is most commonly used for such paths, and is rarely seen anywhere else compared to other Lagartofolia forms.

In some places Lagartofolia is also known as Growlroot, named so for the growling sound that emanates from the roots of the plant when stepped on. The growling is caused by air pockets among the roots which are released out of the ground when the roots are compressed. It is unknown if these air pockets among the roots are an adaption to give the roots oxygen in watery habitats or if they exist to makes the growling sound as an attempt to scare off potential grazers of the plant.”

They greatly resemble Venus Fly Traps, except that the “trap“ is longer and resemble a crocodillian’s mouth, and the “teeth/hairs“ have bioluminescent bulbous tips.

Anne- Protea

“Diversity – The Protea flower is certainly different and it stands out from the crowd. This unusual flower is attracting attention no matter how beautiful the other flowers next to it are. There is simply something beautiful and mysterious about its appearance and it is a perfect gift for someone equally unique.“

“Courage – Gifting someone the Protea flower is also a symbol of courage. This flower symbolizes overcoming obstacles and finding courage inside of you to make a difference in the world. This flower has a very strong message“

Admittedly not unlike Demauria’s flower, Anne’s was also on a mildly mysterious whim. Unlike Demauria’s though, Proteas do have some symbolism attached to them, which also could be applied to Anne. She does indeed stand out from the crowd (though she may not want to), and the courage works as she throughout the story has to get the courage to open up to others as well as to face the Fallen Slayer destiny/responsibility which she is very scared to face.

Molten Protea [new af so no botanical name]

I still haven’t made up much for information/ideas on this Hoepian equivalent. Just that simply it grows exlusively in hot volcanic habitats (lava flows, volcanos, and in rare cases hot geysers). Probably has a visual molten motif similar to lava/magma. Probably blooms or goes to seed after events like volcanic eruptions.