Description
Megaflora are an exotic and unique feature to many planets and moons, which are usually described as plants which exceed the height of 100 meters. Megaflora are also classified as an interconnected area of flora, exceeding 1 kilometre² on an object's surface. Megaflora exist all across the Local Universe, with many planets and moons containing vast displays of immense lifeforms. Megaflora even outclass the largest fauna, with most of them being considerably larger than any animal that ever lived.
The most notable megaflora are ones which exceed the height of 1,000 meters. These megaflora are simply monumental, and can house a variety of fauna, or extended flora communities. Megaflora obtained by sapient species are either kept as a reserve, destroyed for their massive resource output, or integrated into a large floral community The latter is often done in order to create a new habitat, or to create a tourist destination for the inhabitants.
Megaflora are usually very rare, and primarily appear on low gravity planets. However, there have been cases of megaflora of both types on high gravity planets. These almost always appear on very humid planets, and have engineered themselves to absorb water not only through roots, but with many side tendrils. These attributes follow many megaflora around, likely being one of the only ways for water to reach their system.
The tallest kinds of megaflora breach 10,000 meters in height, and can only exist under very special circumstances. Such flora are very rare, and exist only on planetoids and very humid environments. They are usually skinny and spindly, with not much proportional length at their trunks. Leaves or things of the like are also uncommon on such megaflora, with them existing near the top. Water is almost exclusively absorbed on the sides, with the root system being almost useless after the first few centuries of existence.
Habitats
Ground
Most known megaflora exist on the ground, with a complex root system that provides them with nutrients from the earth. Since megaflora are very massive, the tiny offshoot plants on them also provide the system with water, letting them grow high. Gravity is a major concern for megaflora on the ground, as a result of the square cube law. Anything which breaches this will grow very slowly, if at all.
These flora are also at risk of destruction by powerful weather events, fires, and cosmic threats. However, megaflora which populate the ground are still the most common, as they exist on fragile or slow worlds. Megaflora on the ground also hold the most diverse range of life, as they can exist in a wide range of environments. Megaflora which reside on the ground are also able to have their own varying micro-climates, and can even morph the rocky landscape around them.
While megaflora on the ground sound very vulnerable, they still appear to be the toughest flora ever known. Their outer coating and bark is famed for being very tough, and can withstand gravity easier than casual flora. Megaflora on the ground also hold the a diverse range of life, as they can house a wide range of environments.
Air
Megaflora in the air are a lot more uncommon than ones existing on the ground or oceans. Instead, they rarely populate the skies of gas giants or planets with very dense atmospheres and calmer weather. Megaflora which exist in the air are a lot different than ones on the ground, instead existing in large nets above the clouds. Many of these megaflora grow fast and die relatively young, rapidly expanding as the winds supply them with water. However, megaflora of this caliber are lightweight, so they can float in the wind. As a result, they are easily able to be preyed upon.
The delicate factors to megaflora in the air make them short-lived. However, this does not thwart attempts in keeping them alive. Many organizations of major species often encapsulate this kind of flora, seeing it grow to a blistering size. Covering as much as 40 km², the nets of plants can easily reach their breaking point and split off. These act as seeds for new megaflora to potentially grow and dominate the skies once again.
Ocean
Megaflora in and on the oceans of planets are slightly more common, since water is readily available. The square cube law underwater is also less effective, allowing for megaflora to grow even larger than their counterparts on land. These megaflora either exist as a kind of algae or thin plant, or as a massive and hardy underwater life form. Larger than typical megaflora, these underwater marvels can reach sizes of hundreds or thousands of meters across. These kinds of megaflora are also able to live indefinitely in the ocean. Threats of predication are also mitigated, since this kind of megaflora is usually as sturdy as the ones on the ground.
Megaflora in the ocean are the most diverse kind of megaflora, housing all kinds of aquatic life. Many species latch on for nutrients, while others live in their many crevices. Megaflora of the underwater type can also survive extreme pressure and variations of temperature, making them excellent inhabitants of any sea floor.
The extended habitat of oceanic megaflora is odd, with many pieces of megaflora lying at the bottom of many oceans. In an area mostly devoid of life, it ends up flourishing wherever megaflora lie. Certain species live to reside in such megaflora, and the landscape around them is simply diverse. In a proportional radius around oceanic megaflora, there exists a deep climate of sea life and extended flora, which are dense in nature. Hydrothermal animals also exist at the base of many of these outstanding megaflora.
Space
Deep space is no stranger to exotic forms of life, as countless spaceborne species have been discovered since the dawn of mass interstellar travel. Flora which exist in space are the most rare kind, and usually cling onto comets and asteroids to feed on its water and minerals. These megaflora also last very long, usually decaying as nutrients deplete or water runs out. More advanced megaflora can adapt to this and drill through the asteroid's rock, living for longer as they take nutrients from other areas.
The origins of such resistant lifeform are also odd, with the most popular theory of asteroid collisions causing microbes to go into space and slowly evolve. Other theories like panspermia onto asteroids are also very popular, and very much plausible under the correct conditions. Almost every (About 99,537 out of 100,000) megaflora in space also comes from a system with some kind of life, supporting all of these theories.
Megaflora in space have a very large size limit, considering that gravity is not an issue. Experiments with these megaflora have yielded massive size results, but became an issue when nutrients became too much of a demand for the experimented flora. The maximum average sustainable size is from 50 kilometres in length to 100 kilometres in length. Any life in the fields of space likely do not use this megaflora, since their biology is likely harshly different.