Lempe

Lempe is a fictional plant species frequently used in speculative fiction and world-building to illustrate temperate agriculture. It is not a real botanical species; references to lempe appear in guides on constructing plausible ecosystems rather than in scientific taxonomy.

Lempe is a perennial that reaches about 1.5 to 2 meters. It has a sturdy, ribbed stem, broad alternate leaves, and panicles of small yellow flowers. The plant forms rhizomes that help spread and stabilize damp soil.

In imagined settings, lempe originates in a temperate belt of coastal wetlands and forest margins, thriving in moist, loamy soils and tolerating light frost.

Bees and other pollinators visit lempe flowers, and the plant's rhizomes contribute to soil structure. It can become dominant if not managed, serving as a dynamic element in ecological narratives.

Within fiction, lempe provides versatile resources: strong fibers for textiles, seeds for oil, and leaves for mulch or fodder. Its versatility makes it a common backdrop in agrarian economies.

In world-building, lempe farming can anchor rural communities, influence trade networks, and shape cultural practices around planting calendars and harvest rituals.

See also: Fictional flora, World-building, Ecological symbolism.