Crystherium can only be grown in certain conditions, forcing the Scarrans to cultivate them in a limited number of locations. Because of this handicap, the Scarrans can only expand their power from these few locations, one of which is the hidden base Katratzi. The flowers are heavily guarded as a loss of a crop can effectively cripple the Scarrans' ability to occupy and control entire regions of space. This occurred when the crew of Moya destroyed the Katratzi flower supply, setting the capability of the Scarrans to rule that region back by hundreds of cycles.