Word: Pandurate

 

pandurate

[ pan-duh-reyt, -der-it, -dyuh-reyt, -dyer-it ]

adjective

1. shaped like a fiddle, as a leaf.

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For the most part, it looked like a normal tree. It had all the parts a normal tree should have. It had a thick, sturdy trunk and sprawling roots. The leaves were broad, with a distinct, fiddle-like shape to them. The canopy spread out tall and wide and was filled with those leaves. It even had a few small buds on the ends of some branches. All in all, a normal tree. 

The only problem was the color. The trunk was bright blue, while the leaves were a distinct purple color. Even the buds were starting to develop a muted yellow color. This one tree, found out in the middle of a field with no other trees around it, had gotten quite the attention. All because of its colors.  

People came from all over to see it. Botanists came to study it. Conspiracy theorists came to peddle their ideas about aliens and secrets. Religious people saw it as a sign of the divine at work. But most people just came to see the unusual tree. Pictures were taken. Businesses were established.  

While studying the pandurate, purple leaves, scientists made several discoveries.  

“This tree will save the world.” they said. “It works three times as efficiently as normal trees.” They said. This caused a renewed clamor. People wanted to clone the tree. Make more of them and help heal the world.  

When studying the wide roots, they found yet more. 

“This tree is greedy.” They said. “It takes far more nutrients from the soil. Nothing else will be able to grow nearby. 

This cause people to say it was not worth it. That the tree should be removed. After all, it was better to have four normal trees in an area than one special tree that took the same space.  

When studying the buds, they found them to be the start of fruit. 

“We won’t know for sure until they form, but it is likely the fruits will be big and highly nutritious. Maybe even enough to feed a person for a day with just one.” 

While this was yet speculation, it once again caused a stir. People wanted more of them again. Many such trees could feed so many. Maybe even solve world hunger. It was worth the low numbers, as long as everything was managed right. 

More and more, those studying the tree found new things about it. Some made people want to get rid of it. That it was harmful in the long run. Others made them want more such trees. That the gains were worth the price. And the discoveries brought on more and more people to the tree. People of all walks of like. Those who wanted to exploit it. Those who wanted to worship it. Those who called it a hoax, and those who called it a gift. Those who cursed it and those who just thought it looked neat.  

And nobody could figure out what it was, or how it got there. Eventually, those questions were abandoned in favor of what to do with it. Whether to use it, to destroy it, or to plant more of it. And nobody could decide what was best. 

As for the tree, it was tired and wished all those humans around it would just leave it alone and let it sleep in peace. 

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So yeah, no idea if this is any good or not, but it's what I got.