Bristleleaf Tree

This small fruit tree grows up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall and lives for up to 35 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 66 years old. It is very resistant to destructive insect infestation but susceptible to disease.

It has a slender, angular trunk covered in hard, ridged, yellow bark, and inside, the very light wood is white with black speckles.

The branches are very short, thin and wispy and are covered with small amounts of miniature, circular leaves with irregular edges. The leaves themselves are either brown or dark yellow, with light brown zig-zags.

In early spring, it produces handfuls of large, aquamarine blossoms with long, tapering petals. They detach easily and have a strong scent that smells like misty mornings.

In early winter it produces tiny, cuboid fruit. The smooth light brown skin is thin and edible when boiled; it is salty, and the very soft lilac flesh is salty and sour and very dry. The beige seed is large and is in the centre of the fruit.

The roots grow as a near perfect mirror of the tree above, and overall the tree is sturdy and difficult to uproot.

Forests of this species feature the trees packed together densely, with clear space between them.