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Myrmecodia Lamii
''Myrmecodia lamii'' is a myrmecophilous (ant-loving) epiphytic, or sometimes terrestrial plant in the gardenia family Rubiaceae native to New Guinea. It has a greatly swollen hypocotyl The hypocotyl (short for "hypocotyledonous stem", meaning "below seed leaf") is the stem of a germinating seedling, found below the cotyledons (seed leaves) and above the radicle (root). Eudicots As the plant embryo grows at germination, it send ... region containing numerous tunnels and chambers utilized by certain species of ants as a colony. This hypocotyl can measure up to height by up to wide, by far the largest known hypocotyl. The total height of the plant, including the black and white ringed branches, comes to . The flowers are white or pale blue.The species was described in 1945 by Merrill and Perry. E.D. Merrill and Lily May Perry. JOURNAL OF THE ARNOLD ARBORETUM vol. 26 (1945) page 26 References Psychotrieae Myrmecophytes Endemic flora of New Guinea {{Rubiaceae-s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Myrmecophilous
thumb , Myrmecophilous aphids being tended by ants Myrmecophily ( , ) consists of positive, mutualistic, interspecies associations between ants and a variety of other organisms, such as plants, other arthropods, and fungi. It may also include commensal or even parasitic interactions. A "myrmecophile" is an animal that associates with ants. An estimated 10,000 species of ants (Formicidae) are known, with a higher diversity in the tropics. In most terrestrial ecosystems, ants are ecologically and numerically dominant, being the main invertebrate predators. As a result, ants play a key role in controlling arthropod richness, abundance, and community structure. Some evidence shows that the evolution of myrmecophilous interactions has contributed to the abundance and ecological success of ants, by ensuring a dependable and energy-rich food supply, thus providing a competitive advantage for ants over other invertebrate predators. Most myrmecophilous associations are opportunistic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Epiphytic
An epiphyte is a plant or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phorophytes. Epiphytes take part in nutrient cycles and add to both the diversity and biomass of the ecosystem in which they occur, like any other organism. In some cases, a rainforest tree's epiphytes may total "several tonnes" (several long tons). They are an important source of food for many species. Typically, the older parts of a plant will have more epiphytes growing on them. Epiphytes differ from parasites in that they grow on other plants for physical support and do not necessarily affect the host negatively. An organism that grows on another organism that is not a plant may be called an epibiont. Epiphytes are usually found in the temperate zone (e.g., many mosses, liverworts, lichens, and algae) or in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rubiaceae
Rubiaceae () is a family (biology), family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with Petiole (botany), interpetiolar stipules and sympetalous actinomorphic flowers. The family contains about 14,100 species in about 580 genera, which makes it the fourth-largest angiosperm family. Rubiaceae has a cosmopolitan distribution; however, the largest species diversity is concentrated in the tropics and subtropics. Economically important genera include ''Coffea'', the source of coffee; ''Cinchona'', the source of the antimalarial alkaloid quinine; ornamental cultivars (''e.g.'', ''Gardenia'', ''Ixora'', ''Pentas''); and historically some dye plants (''e.g.'', ''Rubia''). Description The Rubiaceae are morphologically easily recognizable as a coherent group by a combination of characters: opposite or whorled leaves that are simple and entire, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Mainland Australia, Australia by the wide Torres Strait, though both landmasses lie on the same continental shelf, and were united during episodes of low sea level in the Pleistocene glaciations as the combined landmass of Sahul. Numerous smaller islands are located to the west and east. The island's name was given by Spanish explorer Yñigo Ortiz de Retez during his maritime expedition of 1545 due to the perceived resemblance of the indigenous peoples of the island to those in the Guinea (region), African region of Guinea. The eastern half of the island is the major land mass of the nation of Papua New Guinea. The western half, known as Western New Guinea, forms a part of Indonesia and is organized as the provinces of Pap ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hypocotyl
The hypocotyl (short for "hypocotyledonous stem", meaning "below seed leaf") is the stem of a germinating seedling, found below the cotyledons (seed leaves) and above the radicle (root). Eudicots As the plant embryo grows at germination, it sends out a shoot called a radicle that becomes the primary root, and then penetrates down into the soil. After emergence of the radicle, the hypocotyl emerges and lifts the growing tip (usually including the seed coat) above the ground, bearing the embryonic leaves (called cotyledons), and the plumule that gives rise to the first true leaves. The hypocotyl is the primary organ of extension of the young plant and develops into the stem. Monocots The early development of a monocot seedling like cereals and other grasses is somewhat different. A structure called the coleoptile, essentially a part of the ''cotyledon'', protects the young stem and plumule as growth pushes them up through the soil. A mesocotyl—that part of the young plant that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Psychotrieae
Psychotrieae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 2114 species in 17 genera. Its representatives are found in the tropics and subtropics. Several genera are Myrmecophytes (ant plants) Genera Currently accepted names * '' Amaracarpus'' (30 sp.) - Seychelles, from Andaman Islands to northern Vanuatu * '' Anthorrhiza'' (9 sp.) - Papua New Guinea * '' Apomuria'' (12 sp.) - Madagascar * '' Calycosia'' (8 sp.) - New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Society Islands * '' Cremocarpon'' (9 sp.) - Comoros, Madagascar * '' Dolianthus'' (13 sp.) - New Guinea * '' Gillespiea'' (1 sp.) - Fiji * '' Hydnophytum'' (94 sp.) - Indo-China to southwestern Pacific region * ''Myrmecodia'' (27 sp.) - from Vietnam to northern Australia * '' Myrmephytum'' (5 sp.) - Philippines, Sulawesi, New Guinea * ''Psychotria'' (1874 sp.) - tropics and subtropics * '' Ronabea'' (3 sp.) - Tropical America * '' Squamellaria'' (4 sp.) - Fiji * '' Streblosa'' (25 sp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Myrmecophytes
Myrmecophytes (; literally "ant-plant") are plants that live in a Mutualism (biology), mutualistic association with a colony of ants. There are over 100 different genera of myrmecophytes. These plants possess structural adaptations in the form of Domatium, domatia where ants can shelter, and food bodies and extrafloral nectaries that provide ants with food. In exchange for these resources, ants aid the myrmecophyte in pollination, seed dispersal, gathering of essential nutrients, and defense. Domatia adapted specifically to ants may be called myrmecodomatia. Mutualism Myrmecophytes share a Mutualism (biology), mutualistic relationship with ants, benefiting both the plants and ants. This association may be either facultative or obligate. Obligate In obligate mutualisms, the organisms involved are interdependent; they cannot survive on their own. An example of this type of mutualism can be found in the plant genus ''Macaranga''. All species of this genus provide food for a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
