Bone Weed

The Bone Weed(Matteuccia skeletum) is a fern known for its peculiar ossification during its reproductive cycle. It is found in calcium rich areas, and on or around calcified animal remain.

Origin

The Bone Weed dates back almost to the origin of the Yuriban island itself. Fossilized remains of the Bone Weed have been found even among the oldest volcanic remains on the island.

Description

The Bone Weed plant is a variant of fern, and shares most of the same appearance characteristics. It has anywhere between 3-7 fronds growing nearly vertically from the crown. These fronds can become up to 4 feet tall, but rarely exceed a height of two feet before ossifying. A typical adult plant has 3 or 4 fronds between 16in and 24in in length.

Until they ossify, the leaves are deep green, but the stems are all always white in color. The leaves are long at the base, but shorten as the leaves are closer and closer to the tip of the frond in a fashion typical of a fern.

As ossification begins, the leaves will develop white splotches from the veins outward, till the entire frond takes on a white powdery look. The only part of the plant that does not fill with calcium are the spores which generally are blown away by the wind before the process completes.

Life cycle

Bone Weed spores generally begin to germinate in the early spring and can take hold in suitably calcium rich soil or other calcium rich environments such as the calcified remains of dead animals or shellfish.

Germination generally takes approximately one week, resulting in a small circle of budlike sprouts. These buds develop into 2-inch fronds after a few days, and its small leaves begin to unfurl. Once the leaves are completely unfurled, then the plant grows rapidly, gaining over an inch each day. The plant will continue to grow at this pace till it reaches it's adult size.

Upon reaching the adult stage, spore production can begin and generally also triggers, or at least coincides with the ossification process. This can take place at any part of the year, but generally occurs towards the end of fall when temperatures start to drop.

During it's life cycle the Bone Weed plant draws calcium from it's environment, along with other nutrients. Once ossification begins, the calcium is slowly transfered to the surface of the plant. First a calcium crust forms over the stems, then gradually spreads to the leaves from the veins outward, giving it a white splotched appearance at first, then the leaves gradually turn completely white. As the process continues, the plant begins to draw more calcium from the environment, flooding it's cells to the point of saturation, at which point the plant itself dies and decays, leaving only the calcified remains.

The entire process takes between three days and a week in total and turns the plant bone-white. During this, the bone weed produces spores, which it stores in pockets at the end the fronds, till they fall to the ground or are carried by the wind.

Picking a leaf/frond will not cause it to ossify.

Uses

Early Yuribans used the bone weed for fishing poles, or to weave resilient, though temporary, baskets.

The green leaves of the bone weed can be used to make high-calcium tea, but many find the taste chalky. Drinking such tea is recommended for children and people suffering from osteoporosis.

The optimal time to harvest the bone weed once ossified is when it is four weeks old, and has not suffered any deterioration. The plant is then ground into a powder that is a component for many spells. The powder can also be used, like the tea, to strengthen bones when ingested.