myrmecophyte

upright=1.35|thumb|Pseudomyrmex ferruginea ants on a myrmecophyte tree, [[Vachellia cornigera, the bullhorn acacia of Central America]]

Research

177 papers

The small size of a myrmecophyte and its associated ant colony facilitate ambushing by large Ectatomma tuberculatum workers.Die Naturwissenschaften · 2025
Long-term strict ant-plant mutualism identity characterises growth rate and leaf shearing resistance of an Amazonian myrmecophyte.Scientific reports · 2024
Lowering the density: ants associated with the myrmecophyte Tillandsia caput-medusae diminish the establishment of epiphytes.AoB PLANTS · 2021
Dynamics of the association between a long-lived understory myrmecophyte and its specific associated ants.Oecologia · 2011
Predation success by a plant-ant indirectly favours the growth and fitness of its host myrmecophyte.PloS one · 2013

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Wikidata facts

Image: Pseudomyrmex ferruginea Ryan Somma.jpg

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Commons category: Myrmecophytes

Sources (2)

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~10 min read

Article

15 sections

Contents

Mutualism
Obligate
Facultative
Structural adaptations
Domatia
Food bodies
Extrafloral nectaries
Ant-plant interactions
Ants as pollinators
Ants and seed dispersal
Ants feeding plants
Ants as defense
See also
References
Sources

upright=1.35|thumb|Pseudomyrmex ferruginea ants on a myrmecophyte tree, [[Vachellia cornigera, the bullhorn acacia of Central America]]

Myrmecophytes (; literally "ant-plant") are plants that live in a mutualistic association with a colony of ants. There are over 100 different genera of myrmecophytes. These plants possess structural adaptations in the form of 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.