Rootlines defined the familial structure among the M'shinn people. Since M'shinni were exclusively female and procreated through parthenogenesis, members of a Rootline exhibited near-identical appearances, distinguished only by minor genetic variations passed down through generations. Nonetheless, significant variations existed between Rootlines, despite their shared ancestry from the Firstmother—those original M'shinn who established a symbiotic bond with the plant species of plant that all M'shinn hosted. Each Rootline managed its own distinct business, fostering competition among the families, though overt violence was uncommon.