>>35787233I think it's a holdover from a different Grass starter line similar to the Fire and Water ones. I'd guess they got done designing Chikorita and Meganium, but hadn't done Bayleef yet.
I also can't help but see some similarities between it and Sunkern. They both have a similar mouth and are living plants (not animals with plant elements). And Sunkern is missing from the beta dex. It may have later be repurposed into Sunflora's prevo.
