Common as merchants and tax-collectors, the Phyta are walking ferns who get about on a set of three flexible roots, bendy enough to give them a strange bobbing gait and curling at the foot to stop them from slipping over. Aside from these they have a confused tangle of other roots that protrude so prolifically from below their stems that the species has on occasion been misinterpreted as hairy. In practice these are the vestigial artefacts of life on a temperate planet in the galactic south, where frequent thunderstorms illuminate an otherwise impenetrable landscape and there is ample moisture in the air to take advantage of with bizarre frizzy roots. Phyta who are encountered off-world are the most adventurous of their kind, and to supplement for the high humidity that they are used to must wear specialised suits that spritz them with puffs of water throughout the day. These vary randomly in strength to approximate the unpredictable weather that the species is used to, and are usually producing clouds of mist to stop their roots from desiccating. Each apparatus is designed to enclose the roots while still leaving room for the three perambulatory ones to function, causing the species to resemble oversized potted plants.
Evolving in near constant darkness, they grew naturally to covet items that glimmered or sparkled, adorning themselves with crude jewelry before their refining processes were properly developed. In the years leading up to their contact with off-worlders, the Phyta had just achieved mastery over the forge and were in the midst of a cultural revolution. Prospectors had up until that point been the most numerous and storied members of society, but once the secrets of metalworking were unlocked they no longer received the same attention for the unpolished chunks of ore that they brought home. First contact saved them from civil war, and almost two thirds of the population left the planet, striking out across the galaxy to make use of their carefully cultivated talents in prospecting to make a living. In time they became vast hoarders of wealth, and with an eye for luxury are famous now as curators and (much less popularly) tax brokers. Either way it is their natural sense of what is valuable which has enabled the Phyta to inhabit those spaces, but on a more personal level this can prove a constant annoyance when they haggle after the possessions of others. Their living spaces are often dens of curiosities, with even temporary lodgings on ships starting to fill up with the objects that they accrue from markets, retailers or other people. Being more or less mobile ferns, it can be very difficult to find accessories that fit or that don’t irritate their fronds, causing most Phyta to be extra sentimental about their favourite scarves or rings. Jewellery is still very popular with the diaspora and the species is synonymous in certain areas with gaudy opulence, even poorer individuals bedecking themselves in necklaces or with pearl chains.
Not overly sensitive to motion as some other shrub-like peoples are, the Phyta are noted for the immense span of their leaves and for the ornate fractal shapes of their fronds. These are hereditary features passed down by both parents, creating a composite pattern which their children will use as a unique identifier throughout their lives. Capable of reproducing asexually, most couples prefer to exchange their spores and to both have children of their own instead. Careful moderation is the only thing preventing the species from becoming too prolific, as with the advancement of science individuals are technically able to have a hundred children at a time and for each to survive into adulthood. While this was unregulated in past eras because of staggering mortality rates on the Phyta’s home world, it is seen as highly improper and even embarrassing to flood interspecies settlements with so many children. And so, ever mortified at the prospect of coming off as savage, they are especially careful to decide exactly when and where they will raise their offspring. These are born most often in small batches of two to five, and it is highly unusual for siblings to be of different ages, with most couples being content to nurture just one group of children. Until reaching physical maturity, a process which can be startlingly fast under the right conditions, their young are raised almost entirely within their apartments. Especially sealed and equipped with humidifiers to ensure that water vapour is present in sufficient quantities in the air to enable unhindered growth. Even so it will still be a long time before the child's mental faculties are as highly developed as their appearance, which in the span of a few short years can come to be just as vociferous as their parents. At this point a suit can be fashioned for the child, and their education can continue in a more hands-on way out in the world which surrounds their home. This moment is of great significance to parents and the first step through an outside doorway of any kind is a bigger deal than learning to walk.
Even solitary Phyta like to equip their dwellings with humidifiers, that if set up all throughout the space then allow them to maneuver outside of their environment suits. While it is not uncomfortable to inhabit one they enjoy the feeling of being free for a change, and have habits of wandering around their homes randomly. Often highly braggadocious, they like to invite people over and to flaunt their material wealth, being more concerned though with objects of historical or cultural significance. Luckily they are never overly enamoured with wooden artefacts because otherwise these might become infested with mold if left to sit in one of their dwellings for too long. Although they might come off as obnoxious or conceited, the species cares very deeply for their close acquaintances and individuals have a tendency to dote on their favourite people. This is not restricted to times of celebration either but is rather a natural display of gratitude in their culture, with most Phyta taking great joy in hunting for things that they think their friends will be enamoured with.