–Lili
Herbaphony is the psychic ability to communicate with plant life and foliage. Herbaphony users can encourage plants to grow. The power seems to be extremely rare, as the only characters implied to have it are Lili Zanotto, Elton Fir, and Bob Zanotto. Typically psychics who are familiar with herbaphony are also experienced in zoolepathy.
Psychonauts[]
Herbaphony is an extremely unique PSI-power in that it is the only explicitly named ability Razputin can't learn in the first Psychonauts game. The power is never mentioned within the game, but alluded to several times, such as when Lili is seen communicating with a meat plant in Basic Braining, and her strong fascination with flowers (which is eventually used by Linda to capture her). Lili's Campster page touches on her powers more deeply. It's in her profile that the power's name is mentioned and several other campers talk about her ability.
Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin[]
The power makes its first in-game appearance in Psychonauts: In the Rhombus of Ruin where Lili uses it to communicate with what she believes is a beautiful field of flowers. When Raz, with the help of her recently adopted pet rat Harold undoes her mind control, she realizes she's actually speaking to a room full of bombs.
Psychonauts 2[]
Many psychics in Psychonauts 2 are expert or novice users of herbaphony. At the beginning of the level 'Fatherland Follies' it is shown that that Truman Zanotto has a degree in Herbaphony.
Trivia[]
- Coincidentally, Lili excels at this ability and shares her name with a flower -Lilium or "lilies."
- None of the games show a merit badge associated with this ability. It's hard to tell if there even is one, since the power is so rare only a few characters posses it.
- Lili's Campster page contains references to two books on herbaphony - Secrets of Psychic Gardening and I've Heard the Mowed Lawn Scream.