Giant Devil's Flower

Endemic to the jungles of Peninsular Malaysia, the Giant Devil's Flower is a magical carnivorous plant that flourishes in soil with a lack of nitrogen and magical nutrients, especially in humid, low-lying areas. This plant has been the subject of intense research for many years by the Magical Plant Protection and Research Society (MAPPERS) of Malaysia, but due to its dangerous nature and recent innovations to spells in Malaysia the plant's properties are finally being fully explored.

The Giant Devil's Flower is suspected to be related to the pitcher plant, or at least the entire Nepenthes genus, but considering how actively this plant hunts its prey down some members of MAPPERS feel that it should be located in its own classification. Preferably far away from humans.

Because of its appearance, self-defence mechanisms and feeding behaviour, it is usually nicknamed the Deathpod. Malaysian researchers call it bunga periuk syaitan or bunga periuk iblis in their native language, which has led to its official name.

The plant lives up to 10 years in the wild, and then turns its bud into a fruit that eventually dries up, exploding forcefully so that its sticky seeds are distributed everywhere. The seeds may take root on tree trunks.

Appearance

The plant consists of a very shallow root system and a climbing stem that can extend up to 50 m (164 ft) and is roughly 15 cm (5.6 in) in diameter. This climbing stem will only have one large sword-shaped leaf, which will have its midrib extend into a tendril that protrudes from the tip of the leaf. At the end of this tendril is a very large flower bud. The average size of the bud appears to be between 30 - 91 cm (1 - 3 ft) in length and 40 cm (1.3 ft) in diameter.

In the same way the pitcher is the trap of the pitcher plant, this bud is the "pot" of the plant. The insides of the bud are coated with a sticky and slimy secretion, and the lips of the bud are coated in a sweet-smelling syrupy fluid that constantly drips. The bud itself is colourful on the inside, but offers unsure footing. On the outside it simply appears to be a large, green and very hard flower bud.

The Giant Devil's Flower only opens the bud at night to protect its insides from drying up in the hot climate. The "flower" only peels back its petals one-quarter of the way, leaving the depth of the bud a slippery tunnel, and turns to face the sky. The strong smell of the syrup on the lips of the bud will attract insects, birds and small animals to the bud, wherein they fall inside due to the depth of the bud. As the surrounding temperature increases due to the rising sun, the bud closes and fills up with a viscous liquid that proceeds to drown and subsequently dissolve the contents of the bud for it to digest its prey.

However, this is not all it does. The Giant Devil's Flower is known for never staying in one place despite having roots along its climbing stem. It grows quickly from its huge meals, and thus extends itself throughout the forest, wrapping itself along trees in search of food. It never stays still for more than a night, perhaps so as to prevent overconsumption of the animal population in one area.

Prey usually consists of insects, small vertebrates and birds, usually of the magical kind.

Botanical history

The earliest known record of the Giant Devil's Flower is officially the 20th century, but based from the tales of indigenous magical folk living in the forests it may have had a notoriety that extended well past its name before then. It is suggested that unfortunate travellers have accidentally "provoked" the plant to kill them, which is most likely the reason why the discovery of the plant was only very recent.

The first specimen brought back by MAPPERS unfortunately caused the destruction of Specimen Room #10 at the Kuala Terengganu branch of the society. The Malaysian Ministry of Magic (MMM) managed to keep the incident quiet, and MAPPERS constructed three Specimen Rooms designed to take in plants of the Devil's Flower's calibre. These three Rooms are found in isolated forested areas near the following state capitals:

• Specimen Room #10-10: Kota Bharu, Kelantan
• Specimen Room #10-20: Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
• Specimen Room #10-30: Shah Alam, Selangor

This plant has been since classified as a Class X when it comes to trading. Class X goods are strictly forbidden from leaving the country in any way possible, or even moved in any way apart from scientific research.

The Giant Devil's Flower is also known to be only researched in those three Specimen Rooms of MAPPERS, and no other organisation is permitted to handle the plant.

Dangers

The Giant Devil's Flower has developed multiple survival mechanisms over time that prevent it from being preyed on or even tampered with in any way. This is the official list that MAPPERS has provided on its capabilities.

• The plant releases a terrible-smelling gas should any part of its stem be crushed. The gas is apparently a result of its inner fluids being exposed to the atmosphere, in which case it immediately evaporates. The gas is capable of temporarily knocking out anyone after 1 minute of exposure.

• Prying open the bud causes the flower to shoot its viscous fluid into the offender's face. This has debilitating effects, as the fluid turns acidic once exposed to air. This probably explains how the plant feeds off its prey.

• Cutting or severing any part of the plant causes its sap to flow out. The sap takes on the appearance and smell of blood, which is distressing on sight alone; the sap also erodes skin.

• Should the plant decompose, it gives off heavily toxic fumes that spread quickly through the air and possibly any ventilation system. No one is entirely sure of the purpose of this function, although once the plant has decomposed (which takes a few weeks), the soil around the area tends to be very rich and full of nutrients for other plants to absorb.

• The seeds, about the same size as a table tennis ball, have a sticky seed coat that is poisonous to ingest.

In addition to this list, the Deathpod actively seeks out its prey and senses everything moving around it as vibrations. It will lie still until the vibrations reach a certain threshold, and then abruptly attack. If it manages to catch whatever was nearby, it will immediately clamp down on it and begin secreting its viscous fluid to dissolve the food/trespasser. The Deathpod is the only plant known to be highly territorial, and even when meeting another Deathpod they will attempt to uproot each other in a form of tug-of-war.

Approaching a Deathpod is very risky and requires a great amount of patience and stealth. One way to know if a Deathpod is aware of vibrations is to keep an eye on its roots, which it retracts out of the soil so that it can lunge towards what it believes to be the intruder. Some researchers have taken advantage of this and built vibrating decoys to distract the plant, as the Deathpod does not release its hold and is very single-minded.

Collecting Specimens

Deathpods have proven difficult to gather samples from given their self-defence mechanisms, and collecting samples were only achieved by taking a cut out of the plant and running away swiftly. Only recently, thanks to a Malaysian witch doctor's experiments, the plant can be deactivated temporarily (up to an hour) with a set of three spells performed in quick succession. Permanent deactivation is complex and requires soaking in a concoction for three days and three nights along with a daily application of eight complex spells invoked over it.

Uses

Apart from the uses given below, the Deathpod is generally known for being exactly like a snake - its poisonous substances can be collected to make antidotes to its self-defence mechanisms, much like venom from a snake can be used to make anti-venom. This is the main purpose to the Deathpod research. Antidotes so far made from the Deathpod's fluids can also be used for various other poisoning scenarios.

• The emittance of terrible-smelling gas and how the mechanism works is currently being researched regarding perfumes and having substances dissolve upon exposure to air.

• The viscous fluid is used for various potion ingredients.

• So is the sap, which can also act as rust remover.

• The seeds are essential components in certain potions.

Predators

This plant has no known predators. They try, but no successful predatory attempt has been recorded.

At Absit Omen

Arcturus Hollingbury repeatedly mentions the Deathpod in his letters to Elixa Mordent and Johann Storm.