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.