Auroraphytes are a clade of perennial plant found in Antarctica. They grow on rocks and mountains as well as in bogs. They are descended from New Zealand cushion plants that colonized Antarctica. Since any other plants can't grow in the dark of the Antarctic summer or the nutrient poor substrate, the already hardy cushion plants took over.
Each individual plant grows to about 6 feet in diameter. They have individual tufts that form into one large mat. All the tufts are connected to a central rhizome. The leaves and flowers are extremely small with even smaller fruits. They are pollinated by isopods, ants, and occasionally mossmice.
Auroraphytes come in a dark blue-violet color. This coloration comes as a result of their relationship with noctebacteria. Noctebacteria are held within the cells of the plant and kept safe from drying out. In return, they provide the plant with energy by photosynthesizing the aurora light. Once the sun comes back, the Auroraphytes die off and return next summer.