Syrupine Tree

This small fruit tree grows up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall and lives for up to 10 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 31 years old. It is very resistant to destructive insect infestation but susceptible to disease.

It has a narrow, straight trunk covered in paper-thin, waxy, brown-green bark, and inside, the very light wood is white with black speckles.

The branches are tall, rigid and upright and are covered with small amounts of giant, spiral leaves with jagged edges. The leaves themselves are bronze on the sides and lilac at the center.

In early spring, it produces many balls of tiny, bronze blossoms with slender, pointed petals with a bell-shaped floral cup. They are hardy and have an overpowering scent that smells like glue.

In late summer it produces , perforated fruit. The smooth pink skin is peel-able and edible when roasted; it is salty, and the crunchy bronze flesh is sweet and syrupy. The yellow seed is tiny and sits at the end of the fruit.

The roots are fine and grow in a large web, and overall the tree is rigid and weak, and breaks apart easily.

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