M ' shinn M ' shinni , also known as mossies , were a sentient species of humanoid mammals who shared a symbiotic relationship with a species of plant . Each M ' shinn had no hair but instead a thick covering of the soft moss - like plant , which was normally a shade of green in color and provided increased healing rates for its hosts . The humanoids were native to the planet Genassa in the Mid Rim but , due to the size of their population , colonized many worlds through the M ' shinni sector , including the homeworld of the Skrilling species , which they named Agriworld - 2079 . Each planet that the M ' shinn colonized was controlled by a Council of the Wise , which ensured that the land was split up suitably between the different M ' shinn families on the planet , known as Rootline s . All M ' shinni within a Rootline looked incredibly similar , although different Rootlines had distinctive looks . This was because M ' shinni only possessed one gender , female , and reproduced by parthenogenesis , which was close to cloning in terms of passing on gene s to offspring . M ' shinn culture focused on agricultural development due to their unique relationship with plants but was also highly advanced in botanical and genetic understanding . This led to them producing large quantities of unique plant species , which they then traded with the rest of the galaxy , rivaling the Ithorian species for botanical dominance . The species integrated itself into the galactic community soon after encountering the Galactic Republic , and , because each Rootline worked like an independent business , some groups of M ' shinni continued to work with the Republic ' s successor , the Galactic Empire . Following the death of Galactic Emperor Palpatine , the M ' shinni colonies fell in and out of Imperial Space regularly due to the various conflicts between the remnants of the Empire and the New Republic , and Genassa was controlled by the Yuuzhan Vong for a period during the Yuuzhan Vong War . Biology and appearance . The M ' shinni were an all - female species of sentient , humanoid mammals who shared a symbiotic relationship with a plant species also native to their homeworld of Genassa . Having evolved from a humanoid precursor species , M ' shinni on average stood between 1 . 5 and 2 . 2 meters tall , around the same height as the Human species . They had bipedal bodies with two arms , two legs , and an upright stance . Their heads were larger than Humans , however , and their two black eyes bulged out from their face more while normally being more watery in nature . M ' shinni mouths had wide , flexible lips and bony ridges instead of teeth , which were more suited to grinding the vegetation that made up their diet . Instead of a nose , M ' shinni had two centimeter - wide holes in their cheeks that acted as nostrils , and had five centimeter - wide black membranes sensitive to sound in the place of ears on either side of their head . The humanoids were totally hairless across their bodies , instead having a soft but thick layer of the moss - like plant covering their skin , except for on the soles of their feet and the palms of their hands . The color of the plant , as well as other aspects of its appearance , depended on the lifestyle of the M ' shinn hosting it and the environment in which they lived . The type of light source in the environment played a large role in determining color , with natural and artificial light as well as different star types creating different shades , ranging from a light yellow - green to a dark emerald green with patches of blue or black . Unhealthy M ' shinni could also have patches of plant that had faded to a dull brown . Without any light , a M ' shinn ' s plant covering would die , although it took ten days to disappear entirely . This loss of covering revealed the soft pink skin of the M ' shinn beneath , and it took three weeks to re - root and grow again if any was left , as was the case if the M ' shinn was burned or hit by a blaster bolt . Less severe injuries that did not damage the roots of the plant regrew in a couple of days . The plant survived on the M ' shinn by feeding upon dead skin cells and sweat ; in return , the plant supplied nutrients and kept the skin moist and elastic , and also provided an increased healing rate to the host . Without the plant , M ' shinni healed far slower than Humans . They were able to make use of medical treatments such as bacta tanks , but doing so often killed the plant covering in the treated area . Due to them having only one gender , M ' shinni reproduced through parthenogenesis , a natural cloning - like method of reproduction in which good climatic conditions and abundance of resources caused birth . This could take place once every three standard years and would produce a single child , measuring only a centimeter in length , which then remained in a belly pouch its mother possessed for a hundred days . All M ' shinni in a family looked nearly identical , as parthenogenesis was similar to a form of cloning , although subtle gene tic changes between generations created some differences between individuals . Different Rootline s , or M ' shinn family units , often developed distinctive appearances . Society and culture . Almost all M ' shinni shared the defining characteristic of being unalterably loyal to their family , which in their society was known as their Rootline . Individual M ' shinni pursued the goals of their Rootline with differing levels of personal vigor or focus , but M ' shinni who actively worked against them were incredibly rare . Beside this unifying quality , the personality and temperament of M ' shinni was as variable of that of Humans , allowing for a huge range of personality types . To identify themselves , many M ' shinni shaved parts of their plant covering into patterns or wore jewelery , including bracelets and necklaces . M ' shinni rarely or never wore clothing , however , because it prevented sunlight from reaching the plant covering them . M ' shinn politics was based around the different Rootlines that made up their society , each of which comprised thousands of individuals . The eldest member of each Rootline on any planet was made a member of the world ' s Council of the Wise , with each planet having a separate council . Whenever a new planet was terraformed and colonized , the available land was split between the Rootlines following strict rules on land ownership , which the Council of the Wise monitored . Any individual M ' shinn gained political prestige in her society through maintenance and care for the land that her Rootline owned . A good harvest , development of a new crop , or reclamation of non - arable land all improved a M ' shinn ' s standing as well as earning profits and more land for her Rootline . Each individual Rootline controlled a large family business , and these different companies competed fiercely , although rarely in the form of actual physical conflict . Sabotage and espionage instead were used to disadvantage competing Rootlines , although any Rootline caught using such techniques suffered a large loss of prestige , meaning great care was taken . Technological development within M ' shinn society was focused on solar power and agriculture , due to the species ' relationship with plants , which also allowed their understanding of botany and genetics to be particularly strong . This led to the species developing a number of devices , such as solar collectors and power generators , which made use of cellular organic material , as well as developing a large number of genetically - engineered crop plants . Many of these plants were highly unusual , with some being able to survive using just airborne nutrients in zero - G environments , some being hugely heat resistant , and others being highly effective terraformers . Other plants they developed had purely decorative function , with huge ranges of shapes and colors of flower being created as well as bio - luminescent lichen , which could be used as lighting with homes . Due to normal medical treatments damaging their symbiotic partners , M ' shinni also developed analogs for medpacs and bacta treatment , which they could use without damaging their plant covering . History . M ' shinni evolved from a precursor species that had formed a symbiotic relationship with the plant that covered all members of their descendant species . The female who first formed this relationship was known by the M ' shinni as the Firstmother and was the ancestor of all M ' shinni . After the precursor species went extinct through evolution of the M ' shinni , the M ' shinni eventually grew to a population size that their homeworld , Genassa , could not sustain . As a result , the M ' shinni built a series of orbital biospheres around the planet , but continued growth led to the colonization of Genassa ' s moon and then the terraforming and habitation of the six other planets that occupied their star system . When the species developed hyperdrive technology , the M ' shinni colonized hundreds of worlds and systems throughout the M ' shinni sector . One world that the M ' shinni colonized was the homeworld of a species they named the Skrilling , meaning bone - picker , who at the time were peaceful , primitive , nomadic herders . The M ' shinni penned in the Skrilling herds and claimed their land , changing the planet ' s name to Agriworld - 2079 . The Skrilling were left to create a new life for themselves and eventually integrated into the M ' shinn colony on the planet as a form of beggar class . The area of space that the M ' shinni inhabited was first explored by the general galactic community between 3000 BBY and 1000 BBY , and when the M ' shinni first encountered the Galactic Republic , they quickly accepted the huge galactic government and integrated themselves with the rest of galactic society . During the reign of the Galactic Empire , the Republic ' s successor state , Genassa fell within Imperial - controlled space , and some Rootlines traded happily with the Imperials , making a healthy profit , although others treated the off - worlders more carefully . Many M ' shinni feared the Empire would eventually take control of the M ' shinn colonies , a fear that increased due to the trade restrictions that the Empire placed preventing the M ' shinni from trading with many worlds that aided or sympathized with the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War . As such , the species maintained neutrality in the war , with some M ' shinn colonies welcoming Imperials and others only dealing with them in limited amounts , which caused growing friction amongst the Councils of the Wise . During this time , some Skrilling on Agriworld - 2079 also began campaigning for Skrilling freedom on the planet . During the Yuuzhan Vong War , in which the extra - galactic Yuuzhan Vong species invaded the galaxy , the M ' shinn system came under the invading species ' control between 27 ABY and 29 ABY . M ' shinni in the galaxy . Due to their distinctive moss - covered appearance , M ' shinni were often nicknamed " mossies " by other species , leading to the sector in which they lived becoming commonly known as the Mossonian sector . Plants that the M ' shinni created were found in fields , biospheres , and garden s all across the galaxy after the species joined the galactic community , and they enjoyed friendly rivalry with the Ithorian species as to who were the galaxy ' s best botanist s and gardeners . Many of the systems surrounding the worlds colonized by the M ' shinni depended on the species for food production and trade , and Genassa ' s position on the prominent Celanon Spur trade route also added to their position as prominent food traders in the galactic market . In 22 BBY , during the Separatist Crisis , a senator named R ' shinnos Sh ' neel in the Galactic Senate hailed from Genassa . Behind the scenes . M ' Shinni first appeared in the 1995 sourcebook " " as part of West End Games ' " " , and their species entry was written by Lisa Smedman . The M ' shinn species was later mentioned in the Skrilling species ' entries in the 2001 sourcebook " Alien Anthology " , written by Steve Miller and Owen K . C . Stephens and produced for Wizards of the Coast ' s " Star Wars Roleplaying Game " . In 2002 , a senator from Genassa appeared in an article on the HoloNet News website titled " Palpatine to Separatist : Let ' s Talk , " which was released as part of " HoloNet News Vol . 531 48 " and written by Pablo Hidalgo and Paul Ens . The article did not make clear if the senator was a M ' shinn or if the character represented the M ' shinni sector .