The time is 400 million years ago--long before land animals evolved into bigger animals. The place is somewhere in the forests that covered most of Eupleides' land. If you could have walked through one of these ancient forests, it would have looked very strange to you. You might have recognized the Rumples, Psilos, and grass that carpeted the soggy soil. But overhead you would have seen odd-looking trees, some towering 25 meters above the ground. The trees resembled giant stick figures with leaves up to one meter long! The huge leaves hugged the branches, looking something like the scales that cover the Fiji fish. The odd looking plants in the ancient forests were the ancestors of three groups of land plants that are alive today in Eupleides. These plants adapted to the planet's climate. The continent of Penancea to the west has more of the DECIDUOUS and some DESERT plants. The continent of Mandalea to the east has more of the DESERT plants and some of the DECIDUOUS plants. The continent of Rhoneah to the south has an equal amount of the GRASSLAND and DESERT plants.

Deciduous forest plants once dominated the one unbroken continent in the early years of Eupleides.  Today, though, they are confined largely to Penancea and and east of Mandalea.  Many herbs and flowering plants grow rapidly in this region.  In response to a lessening amount of luminous light during winter time.  Most trees' leaves change their color because the main chlorophyll responsible for the green color that we see is breaking down and the accessory chlorophylls are showing their colors as a result.  This gradual use of chlorophyll allows the tree to use as much nourishment before the leaves finally fall. 

Grassland or Savanna is a typical picture in Rhoneah because this continent has reduced annual precipitation, or prolonged annual dry seasons. This area has led to the evolution of an open landscape and scattered shrubs and thorny trees.

Desert plants can be seen largely in Mandalea and in a small region in the valley found in Penancea where the warm air falls and precipitation is limited. The amount of rainfall is so low that the vegetation is rather sparse. The trees and shrubs often have deep roots that reach sources of water far below the surface of the ground. Succulent plants are more common in desert regions than elsewhere.

Mandy

Penelope

Rhona