ERC Tree

[Jennifer_P]

Ah yes, thanks for reposting him over here, ametist. I'm going to try to draw him in more detail when I can--it's only a matter of finding the time. But I'm going to be reeeaaally busy for the next two weeksish due to finals, so I don't know if I'll be able to do it before then. (sigh)

[Wutt Evah]

Hi Jennifer.
This is frighteningly Similar to a tree idea I had for any age. I was just discussing it with someone the other night. looking at types of landscapes and plants.

Namibia, quiver trees

I was thinking of a tree like this that really quivered once in awhile. Animated like the Puffers in Kemo or something? It looks so much like your sketch.

[Jennifer_P]

Wow! Those are some really neat looking trees...and they are rather like the one I made too.

I was thinking of a tree like this that really quivered once in awhile. Animated like the Puffers in Kemo or something?

You know, that's an interesting idea...I was thinking about it and it the question, "Why would the tree quiver?" and I thought of this--let's suppose that this tree spreads its seeds via animal transport, for example, like by burrs in fur. The tree wants to maximize its chances of successfully depositing its seeds on an animal, so it shakes its branches when an animal is in the vicinity. This loosens the seeds, and they come loose and fall/float down and get stuck to the animal. Of course, the question then is, how does the tree know an animal is nearby?
How's that sound?
Of course, I don't believe that we have the capability of animating complex objects yet...that would have to be something that was done with Cyan-released tools.

[Wutt Evah]

Actually,

"Known as Choje to the indigenous San people, the Quiver tree gets its name from the San practice of hollowing out the tubular branches of Aloe dichotoma to form quivers for their arrows."

I thought a quivering tree was more Uru, rather than a tree just used for quivers, LOL. So many things in Nature can become Uru Fantastic.

History:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_dichotoma

[Shevek]

Greetings and Shorah All!

I love the way this tree is working out - the designs coming out are great.
They actually remind me of the "Adansonia" genus, best known in its more common form as the "Baobab Tree". Now the thing which I have to stress about the Baobab tree is just how Goddamn HUGE these things are. Having been born and raised in South Africa I was privileged enough to actually get to visit the "Sunland Baobab", otherwise known as the Baobab Tree Bar. (My dad liked taking me to visit landmark bars...)

Now I don't remember much about the bar itself, but I saw other Baobab trees since then and it is very hard to express quite how huge and majestic these trees can be up close. I climbed one of the smaller ones found in the Kruger National park in SA -best tree house ever and well worth the two weeks detention I got for climbing it.


Baobabs are BIG


Beautiful bit of symbolism right there!


The INSIDE of a baobab, converted in a bar with two rooms.
Find out more here: http://www.bigbaobab.co.za/ (Some 360 degree views inside as well)


Having them line a path will take up a lot of space...but would look beautiful.

Shevek

[Jennifer_P]

Yeah, I didn't think that the quiver tree quivered in real life. (If it did, it would appear in every Nature special. )
But what did you think of the fictional reason for the quiver tree to shake?

[Jennifer_P]

And here is the draughlater:

Show Spoiler

I figure this would be at home on the cliff area that Lanen designed.

[Lanen]

Oh yea, that looks like something that would fit right in! Love the design.

[Jennifer_P]

Thanks; I'm hoping it will fit with the cliff color you chose. By the way, do you think you could dig me up a color sample for that...? I'm sort of wondering if it leans towards the peach, the pink, or the orange...