detarbora

Detarbora is a fictional genus of evergreen trees created for use in speculative botany and encyclopedic exercises. In this constructed taxonomy, it belongs to the family Detarboraceae and is treated as monotypic, containing a single species, Detarbora prismata.

Description: Detarbora prismata grows to 15–25 meters tall, with a straight trunk up to 50 cm in diameter. Leaves are simple, alternately arranged, leathery, 6–12 cm long, and dark green above. Small flowers form in loose panicles; petals are yellowish to pale green. The fruit is a woody capsule, 1.5–2.5 cm long, that splits at maturity to release winged seeds.

Distribution and habitat: The species is described as native to montane cloud forests on the fictional Greenvale Archipelago, at elevations of 800–1400 meters. Soils are typically volcanic or basaltic, with high rainfall and frequent mist.

Ecology and physiology: Detarbora prismata is pollinated by native bees and other small insects, with seed dispersal by frugivorous birds. It forms ectomycorrhizal associations and has moderate growth, with some drought tolerance attributed to waxy leaf cuticle.

Taxonomic history and etymology: The genus and species were first described by botanist L. Miro in 1987 in a fictional flora. The name blends Latin roots intended to evoke a forest-derived, tree-related lineage, though it is not used outside speculative contexts.

Human use and cultural references: In speculative fiction and educational exercises, detarbora is used as an example of monotypic tropical montane flora and as a case study in plant–animal interactions. No real-world economic uses are associated with detarbora.