Dr. Elias Voss and his research team first encountered the creature while navigating the murky wetlands of Gliese-581g, a swamp-covered exoplanet teeming with unknown life. Dubbed the Tree-Tongued Cannibal Cabbage, the organism emerged from the water, its gnarled, root-like appendages extending like skeletal fingers, while its jagged, crimson-lined maw gaped hungrily at their presence. Motion sensors detected rapid movement beneath the surface, suggesting an unseen network of tendrils, likely used for anchoring and detecting prey. When a drone attempted to collect a tissue sample, the entity reacted with lightning speed, snapping its fanged petals shut, severing the robotic arm instantly.
Subsequent analysis of trace samples retrieved from the severed drone arm revealed an organic composition similar to both fungi and carnivorous flora. The outer husk exhibited extreme resilience, secreting a viscous enzyme capable of dissolving organic matter, hinting at a digestive mechanism akin to terrestrial pitcher plants. Gas chromatography revealed the presence of airborne neurotoxins, possibly an evolved hunting adaptation to paralyze smaller creatures before ingestion. The team theorized that the Tree-Tongue Cannibal Cabbage is not just a plant but a hyper-evolved predator, symbiotically linked to the swamp’s ecosystem, feeding on both fauna and rival flora. Further study was deemed too hazardous after an attempted capture resulted in the loss of a secondary probe, its remains found half-digested in the creature’s pulsating core.
