Polypiferus brevisimus - very short polyp
|Behind the scenes|
Bladder polyps (Na'vi name: rawp) are small, rounded plants that grow in clusters on the forest floor, resembling blue-tinged stones. The larger leaves store water and salt, and are grazed on by animals and harvested by the Na'vi. They have smaller brown leaves that use animal waste as a form of nutrition. When leaves are removed, new ones grow quickly in their place.
Most other plants are unable to use manure as a direct food source, however the bladder polyp is a halophyte, and can survive in very salty soils. The salt accumulating in the larger leaves absorb water through osmosis. They grow in a wide range of locations, and there are even patches of them up and at the top of Iknimaya, the "Stairway to Heaven."
The bladder polyp is eaten by the Na’vi for its juicy and salty taste, which is somewhat like a pickle.
- Pandorapedia - Polypiferus brevisimus article