Bob

The evolution of the Squin family of plants began in the shallow tropical oceans of Populus. This environment was the perfect place for early plants to develop because of its warm water and brilliant sunlight. The very first plants were single cell organisms which floated freely near the surface of the ocean. Like all other plants on Populus, these single cell organisms used photosynthesis to obtain life-sustaining energy from the sun.

The next stage in development occurred when groups of the single celled organisms began to "clump" together. Although these clumps were able to photosynthesize rather effectively, their simple design prevented them from proliferating into areas that did not have ideal biological conditions.

The Squinod first developed in the shallow waters of the tropics, but its effective design allowed it to quickly spread to all of Populus' oceans. The Squinod was a very small organism, in fact, you probably wouldn't even be able to see one with your naked eye. The Spuinod's most important design traits were its flagella (hair-like stands on its ends) and its unique shape. These two factors made it very easy for the Squinod to "hitch a ride" on Populus' strong ocean currents and spread to nearly every corner of the globe. Once the Squinod came to rest in a good location (on a rock for instance), the flagella could then be used to anchor the organism in place.

The Squinods that came to rest on the rocky tropical shores of Populus eventually evolved into Squinspades. Squinspades are small leaf-like plants which are usually about three inches high. Their strong anchors have allowed them to thrive in areas of very rough surf. In areas where the conditions are favorable, Squinspades can grow close together and form a "carpet" on the rocks. Squinspades grow in the tidal zone where the water depth is from one to ten feet.

In the polar regions of Populus, the Squinods had to make greater adaptations in order to survive. The Squindrill is a small rough plant that usually grows on rocks which are very close to the surface. The plant's structure is very rigid and it has a texture that is similar to that of the coral that is found on Earth. Like the Squinspade, the Squindrill has extremely strong anchors which allow it to hold onto rocks in almost any weather condition. The average Squindrill is about 6 to 7 inches high. Squindrills grow in the tidal zone where the water depth is from one to fifteen feet.

Another environment where the Squinod eventually established itself was in the estuaries. Squingrass is a long thin bladed grass that can anchor itself on rocks or in sand. The grass is usually about two to three feet long. It is very effective in this environment because its strong anchors allow it dig deep into sandy soils and establish itself where other plants would get washed away by river currents and the flow of the tides. Squingrass can survive in a wide variety of depths, but it does best when the top of the grass is right below the surface of the water.

In the shallow tropical oceans, some Squins were able to establish themselves on submerged rock outcrops. Squinpalms can grow at depths of up to 50 feet, which is far deeper than most of the Squin family. The average Squinpalm is about three feet high. It shares the strong anchors and the propensity for growing in large groups, that characterize all of the Squin family. Many rock outcrops in the tropical oceans have small forests of Squinpalms at their crests.

Page Designed by Bob Fraley