RE: Palmaltela, grass

From: Sam Elliot <samclau_at_xVfoJuPJ4KHhq4H139BCBR2vl64v-H5Z3dB_zqxzw6aTHuy3DNB2zGDuW1Qsitkf7va5>
Date: Sun, 6 May 2007 19:06:53 -0300

Jamie:
> Remember that much of Pamaltela resembles prehistoric earth, in both its
> fauna and flora. Grass was a relatively late arrival in evolutionary
> terms. Having said that, the parallel isn't exact, since grass evolved
> no later than the early Eocene (and probably earlier), and the fauna of
> the plains of central Pamaltela are generally 'later' than that.

It may be worth pointing out that the wind-pollinated grasses arose out of the animal-pollinated ones (i.e. grasses are a "throwback", albeit a mightily successful one). So there was a time of flowering, animal-pollinated plants before grasses. I personally want to know if rushes and sedges are present or if they are excluded as a job-lot?

CJ:
> That is a wonderfully evocative fact. I have long hankered to play a game
in Pamaltela, yet never have. One can imagine the > brightly coloured insects flying over fragrant fields of strange clovers, the deep underbrush of golden orange nettles, the > weird cyclads and palms cpmpeting with huge mosses and magical fungi. Cool! One day I will play there...

Nice picture, but tropical plants and insects do tend to be rather more evil than the nicely pastoral, bucolic, temperate ones. Also, a lot of savannah is not that African stuff kept low by herbivores but is pretty dense, tough bush. And furthermore, the cycads'll lose - they may be beautiful but they are a bit crap at growing and the like.

Sam.