Dryad reproduction

Forgive me for not reading the rest- computer just decided to challenge me. I thought I'd get this out.

However, I think dryads are just too varied, and too widespread, to be actually many species. I had suspected for some time that dryads aren't really one species for each kind of tree they mimic, but maybe some sort of parasitic (or mutualistic) organism that assimilates itself to an existing tree at some point in its life and grows boobs in it.

Just throwing an idea into the ring. It would explain why dryads are so varied despite they're not supposed to be SO numerous- it kinda bothers me that predators are so varied, it's like each was its own species. Are those guys like bacteria that mutate at random?

rcs619 wrote:

1: Dryads release a kind of pollen into the air along with their seeds. They can't fertillize their own seeds, but this pollen would fertillize another Dryad's seeds, and their own seeds would be fertillized by someone else. I suppose this would technically make them hermaphridites of a sort, since they would be handling both "male" and "female" reproductive processes. This could probably be done during certain times of the year, or during certain times where the weather conditions are right.

2: Dryad seeds take advantage of the natural pollenization process and are fertillized by pollen from regular plants. In this case, the Dryad could collect the pollen of other plants as it travels on the wind, and use it to fertillize her own seeds before releasing them. They would be fertillized before they leave their mother, and be ready to begin growing and sprouting once they land somewhere where the terrain is right. This could potentially explain the huge variety in Dryads, since they would take some of their physical traits from their mother, and some of their traits from whatever plant's pollen was used to fertilize her seed.

I'm really loving that second solution, as well as your reflexion about how young dryads defend themselves ( mimetism + network ) ^^

as for the discussion about breasts, I re say what I wrote on the size thread : honnestly I wouldn't go really out of my way to explain this one. I mean explaining thing is good , it's what give a solid foundation for a world, but explaining too much, trying to find a reason between everything, may look as just trying to find excuses.. ^^;

Yeah, I agree with Karbo.

Imagine if Peter Jackson had to scientifically explain how Sauron had a big glowing eye of doom and despair on his tower in his rendition of Lord of the Rings. Or if George Lucas had to scientifically explain how a religious artifact melts the faces of Nazis.

Some things are best left being did by that silly wizard who does things.

Lucas explained the force

I knoooow, I was gonna make a joke about that, but I didn't want to reopen old wounds D:

Well his brain is nothing but a mass of mush now, so what did you expect?

yeah, honestly I'm fine with leaving it alone, I'm with malahite/rcs619/oldmanguy's explanations, particularly the explanation concerning the pollen that gets fertilized with the dryad mother and is the reason why they are so varied. As for the boob-factor, im inclined to agree that their breasts would hold other fluids of some kinds. or be used for storage. also they could store something that would help their healing saliva. I think there's many things, I mean you COULD have a statement in rumors about what dryad boobs are for.

Alternatively, dryads could use magic or whatnot to attract any insect in the vicinity that might be carrying pollen and up the chances of fertilization

I've read through all three pages of this subject and would like to throw my two cents in as I write stories about my Dryad.

I have noticed that many people here continue to assume that there is no proof of male dryads. If we take Karbo's Felaryan Doodles (which I can't find right now because my frellin' internet is screwed up) there is a male dryad drawn in there! There is also a reference to a Male dryad in on of French Snack's story. If these are considered canon and we take these doodles as canon then it would mean that there are a male and female of the species.

The theory I had on Dryad reproduction (which if someone said this and I missed, I apologize for repeating) is that the female dryad does store seed which needs to be fertilized before being released. That is where the male dryad comes in (which would explain the vagina on female dryads in drawn pictures). The seeds then are released like standard seeds and then grow in the wild probably protected by natural camouflage. (who eats a tree anyhow?)

This would then ask the question of mating habits of Dryads as a male will be needed to fertilize the female. I hinted a theory I was working on in one of my Ishaaya stories that at certain points in their life, Dryads have the urge to move, a migration. The male would have the urge to find females to reproduce with then replant himself for an unknown cycle.

It's not like they have to reproduce every year! Dryads could only reproduce once every five or even 10 years. Another method is if the female feels the migration she maybe attracted to a male by scent (like flowers) and the desire for children.

last, but not least, explaining the breasts away. Doctor Malan (again one of my character) theorized that sometime in the ancient of most ancient times half human half creature species may have been human once in some form or another. The breasts could be a vestigial trait carried over in DNA when some unexplained phenomenon converted their DNA to the half state they are in now. There are just decoration from their ancient pasts.

Those are my thoughts.

JonathanS223 wrote:

I have noticed that many people here continue to assume that there is no proof of male dryads. If we take Karbo's Felaryan Doodles (which I can't find right now because my frellin' internet is screwed up) there is a male dryad drawn in there! There is also a reference to a Male dryad in on of French Snack's story. If these are considered canon and we take these doodles as canon then it would mean that there are a male and female of the species.

Actually, Karbo has said explicitly there are no male dryads. The one in my story was an error.

Quote :

The theory I had on Dryad reproduction (which if someone said this and I missed, I apologize for repeating) is that the female dryad does store seed which needs to be fertilized before being released. That is where the male dryad comes in (which would explain the vagina on female dryads in drawn pictures). The seeds then are released like standard seeds and then grow in the wild probably protected by natural camouflage.

That's basically what I was thinking... but with a male from some other species, since there are no male dryads.

Quote :

If we take Karbo's Felaryan Doodles (which I can't find right now because my frellin' internet is screwed up) there is a male dryad drawn in there!

I believe that was a Treant. They are a lesser-known, minor species. Kind of like Dryads, in the sense that they are part plant, but not actually Dryads.

Quote :

The theory I had on Dryad reproduction (which if someone said this and I missed, I apologize for repeating) is that the female dryad does store seed which needs to be fertilized before being released. That is where the male dryad comes in (which would explain the vagina on female dryads in drawn pictures). The seeds then are released like standard seeds and then grow in the wild probably protected by natural camouflage. (who eats a tree anyhow?)

It is certainly a do-able idea, I just don't think it stresses their plant elements enough. Dryads are part plant, and are largely an immobile species. They uproot and move on occaision, but they are not very swift, and likely do not like it when they have to move. I just think such a traditional method of reproduction where a mating pair has to go to one another does not suit them.

That is why in my two ideas, I used a more plant-like method of reproduction that relied on pollen carried on the wind, or on piggybacking on the natural pollenation process used by other plants. I just think it plays to Dryads' strengths and weaknesses more, and shows off their plant traits more. It helps reinforce that they are not human, and are, in fact, fairly strange creatures.

Either way, most of the ideas in this thread are certainly possible solutions. I think its just going to come down to what Karbo likes better for Dryads. Its just nice to finally have a good discussion on the matter. Dryads have been a big mystery for quite a while now.

I put a male Dryad and a male Harpy in the same story. Why? Because I dislike the whole "monogendered" thing, unless there exist some explanation for it.

Wiki Quote Time:

Quote :

Despite their apparent bulkiness, many dryads are limber, agile, and flexible, which makes their capture range a lot larger than it looks like at first glance

Error or poorly worded? You make the call!

I believe it is because Harpies and Dryads are, in Greek Mythology, female races, harpies, of course, being bird women, and dryads being tree nymphs.

Female-only creatures exist on Earth.

French snack wrote:

Actually, Karbo has said explicitly there are no male dryads. The one in my story was an error.

hehehe....Oops. Didn't know that.

rcs619 wrote:

I believe that was a Treant. They are a lesser-known, minor species. Kind of like Dryads, in the sense that they are part plant, but not actually Dryads.

Yep...that could have been it. He had roots and he looked like a dryad.

JonathanS223 wrote:

The theory I had on Dryad reproduction (which if someone said this and I missed, I apologize for repeating) is that the female dryad does store seed which needs to be fertilized before being released. That is where the male dryad comes in (which would explain the vagina on female dryads in drawn pictures). The seeds then are released like standard seeds and then grow in the wild probably protected by natural camouflage.

French snack wrote:

That's basically what I was thinking... but with a male from some other species, since there are no male dryads.

That would keep the theory intact if they just need genetic material from a male and from the basic height of dryads (like Cypress and drayla from the height chart) it would be easy to assume that there could be species as big as they are to make mating easy. Size difference unless drastic shouldn't be hard either.

I understand that dryads in mythology were female only, but in a world that seems to have scientific rules, I just don't see that happening without a really good reason (and forgive me if I step on toes, but it's magic is just a cheap escape. )

side note:

I assume then only Karbo can solidify and make canon how Dryads reproduce?

AisuKaiko wrote:

I believe it is because Harpies and Dryads are, in Greek Mythology, female races, harpies, of course, being bird women, and dryads being tree nymphs.

Female-only creatures exist on Earth.

I still don't see this as excusing the Harpies and Dryads. There could be potential for male harpies, but no, we have to make them all female because of an unspoken and arbitrary reason. I can kind of see for Dryads since they're trees, in which case I will rework my little story. However, the male harpy is not going to change.

What you should do is not call him a Harpy then. Call him something else.

He's like a harpy except he's not a woman. Not my fault somebody shot himself in the foot by making the race monogendered for no reason. I'm not the only one with a male harpy, and quite frankly, trying to argue about the gender of a creature is stupid.

The major problem here is that people are trying to make something based on mythology have a scientific explanation. The Greek version of dryads are spirits that inhabit trees and rivers that can move around in human form with only the need to return to their trees to rest. These dryads have no need to reproduce as they are created when a tree grows.

Felaryain dryads then, if they do need an explanation for reproduction, is going to need a heavy dose of suspension of disbelief. There are no male dryads and inter-species fertilizing is not an option. Oh wait... How do most plants get fertilized in real life again? Bees you say? Something about both male and female parts being in the flower and the bee's interference both fertilizes and transports the new seed? Hmm... If only there were a species of bee or something in Felayra that could fill this gap in the problem concerning dryad reproduction.

I mean seriously folks! You've gone on for so long and in such detail about pollen and spores and all manner of ridicules theories to explain this and nobody has even considered the Miaxi? They're right there! In real life bees pollinate plants, so why not in Felarya? Take all this spore and multiple sex organ nonsense and structure it around a process in which the Miaxi help fertilize dryads. Heck, they can both talk so maybe the Miaxi agree to carry the dryad's offspring all over the place for them! Maybe in trade for materials to make honey the Miaxi will stimulate a dryad to fertilize the seed. Its not that difficult to explain fantasy elements using real world examples!

Your idea has merit racemaster, however calling everyone's ideas "nonsense" and "ridicules" does not.
Not every plant uses bees to reproduce, having dryads depend solely on Miaxi isn't a good idea, but I'd imagine some would use the help.

It could be just one of many ways of reproduction with the same dryad.

Anime-Junkie wrote:

Your idea has merit racemaster, however calling everyone's ideas "nonsense" and "ridicules" does not.
Not every plant uses bees to reproduce, having dryads depend solely on Miaxi isn't a good idea, but I'd imagine some would use the help.

As if my idea's aren't equal or more ridicules nonsense. This entire conversation attempts to apply real world science to a world that obviously doesn't run on or require it. Now there isn't anything wrong with trying to apply science in this manner, its just that these sorts of ideas are bound to be silly if not silly.

Not all plants use insects to reproduce: good eye! That is entirely true. However: any plant with flowers does. This includes all species of flower, most species of trees, and many types of fruits and vegetables. A faebane or cactus dryad then would be a perfect match for the miaxi method, whereas a dryad based off the pine or oak tree would need a different explanation.

What are other methods that trees use to reproduce? Pinecones, nuts, fruit... Now this is where the science part with the plant clashes with the fantasy element with the human. A traditional Greek dryad has the easy out: the spirit of the dryad is born within the seed and inhabits the tree when it is fully grown. With Felaryain dryads the human form is part of the tree which throws the old explanation out the third story window into a busy street filled with speeding cars made of concrete.

Now how do humans reproduce? Well it seems everyone has spent enough time discussing this one so I'll cut to the point. Why does it need intricate explanation? Karbo and Aisu already said it, some things just cannot be explained satisfyingly in fiction. However being one of those people that just loves to overthink things I'll be happy to throw out a wild and crazy simply silly and ridicules idea.


Human half- ovary. Plant half- fruit/nut. The human DNA is intertwined with the plant DNA resulting in a half human embryo inside the nut/casing which is dropped to the ground. Unable to be eaten whatever had picked up the baby simply threw it away, resulting in the baby dryad being carried to some new location where it took root. Thus the baby dryad was born- using its ultra super powe- Oops, wrong show... Anyway, it would "hatch" from the protective shell and be a small mini dryad that will slowly grow preying on things its size until it reaches full size. It would obviously have some form of camouflage as well, and with arms and the ability to speak it would be able to communicate with the other dryads on the network to the ends of protection.
Why do they have breasts? Seduction of potential prey. Ta-da.

Again this is only my insane ramblings to take from it what you please. Just remember to brush your teeth after eating sugary foods.

So far it seems to be going to be the second solution: Dryads capture pollen which they use to fertilize their own seed. If we go by Oldman that their breast hold a certain liquid for later use, kinda like how camel humps work, that only leave the crotch unemployed.

Isn't there some organ near the crotch in both males and females that controls maturity?

LOL.

Maybe Dryads have different forms of reproduction depending on the situation. Like a form of Parthenogenesis. It's a Fantasy universe and so a certain amount of Suspension of Disbelief is already assumed.

I mean, hello we've got a hot and sexy half woman half snake that we admire.

:: waves at Vivian ::

I do like the Miaxi idea to a certain degree, but relying on them is pretty difficult, if they obey the queen the Queen would need to either have agreements or a instinct to pollinate Dryads.


Maybe they breed with Treants?

Just throwing a whole lot of stuff out.

No really, I know that the reason why eunichs have high voices is because they are people who've been neutered. I also am pretty sure that a guy without testicles will not grow masculine hair, or develop the testosterone for building muscles. The groin is actually a VERY important part of the body and not just used for sexual reasons I'm sure.