PHYLOSIAN
Phylosians are intelligent plants with five arms, each having an upper and lower
pincer, five legs, a tree-trunk-like torso, and a head similar in appearance to
a large pine cone with independent eye stalks.
They are from the planet
Phylos in the Merari system, which has an abundance of plant life, but no animal
life of any kind. Federation scientists speculate that the plants evolved into
the ecological gap made by the total absence of animals.
They do not like conflict,
and have a strong racial desire to serve the Federation as galactic peace keepers.
Fortunately, the Phylosians must first overcome their own problems. The Phylosian
race is dying. Contamination in the form of Staphylococcus brought plague to the
planet - a plague against which the Phylosians had no defense. The remaining Phylosians
have been rendered sterile by the plague, but a Federation team is currently working
with them to eliminate this barrier.