Semi-Mangrove Carnivorous tree

Set near a water source, grows a seemingly normal tree, in the sense of the alien world. It has a central stalk that pierces upward from the dirt. Unlike other trees on the planet, it is hollow and has actual bark. This organism uses its bark-layers to slide around unsuspecting prey. At the base of the tree, betwixt large writhing roots is a slit that opens into a triangular shaped opening to the innards of the great tree. The size of the opening usually depends upon the size of the tree itself, though it’s normally large enough to allow for prey larger than a wolf, but smaller than a horner. It lives in symbiosis with a vine that coils tightly about it’s branches, roots, and limbs.

An attractive, sweet scent comes from the vine coiled about the tree. Once a captivated animal has entered the opening, the inner layer slowly rotates and blocks the symbiotic vine, luring poor animals close. On occasion great groves of other alluring plants, such as the Snowflake Flower, adorn the roots, attracting many an avian analogue or Runner to the opening.

The scent of rot or death comes from the opening, warranting a closer look for the scavengers, and a warning for the herbivores. As the prey enters the opening, incredibly small hairs, with a  thickness comparable to spider webs are triggered by the animal. These hairs stick up from the bottom of the tree, and are firm growths roughly six inches to a foot in length. Once triggered, the innermost layer of the bark slams shut, trapping the prey in darkness.

The final thing the prey senses is it’s body being enveloped in a thick, oily sap that burns its outer layers and opens it’s innards up to the monstrous hollow it has just entered. After roughly two hours of pain and strife, the animal dies gracelessly. Total digestion takes a few days, but eventually the tree opens back up, the innermost layer actually dying and twisting back to its original position.

In order to preserve energy and regrow it’s inner layer, the tree loses its leaves. All energy is put towards healing the inner layer. As a result the tree has a black ring in it’s stump for every kill it has ever made. When the new layer is finished the trigger hairs regrow practically overnight, and the tree is ready for another snack. 

Facts

 * Every twentieth rainfall, a flower sprouts in one of the branches of the tree. This is for sexual reproduction. If the flower is successfully pollinated by cream beetles it will slowly fold in on itself and fall to the ground as a large nut about the size of a baseball. These nuts are often collected by the ever elusive Pocketrice.
 * If not pollinated, the flower dies soon as the tree has caught yet again another victim.
 * The tree can not withstand certain temperatures and climates. It’s numbers are kept in check by flame snails, as it is extremely flammable due to its oil-sap.
 * The tree requires large amounts of sunlight and water to produce it’s oil sap. Without these conditions it will swiftly begin to become weaker and weaker until it either makes up the deficiency or dies.
 * It cannot live on healthy soil. Soil with too many nitrates or phosphates will cause it’s roots to burn.
 * The flower is poisonous when eaten.
 * Sproutlings often have only  two layers, mainly the inner and outer layer-The outer layer with the opening hole used to find trap small insects and algae and the inner layer that conducts the acid production. The inner layer melts as it digests their first prey. As it grows, the tree develops a bark mid section which shifts the bark by pressure due to acidic reflexes.The waxy material inside the inner layer then hardens for further use. The outer layer produces rings once it has absorbed the nutrients on its previous prey.
 * Most avian analogues have developed an evolutionary revulsion to this organism.