Myrmecodia tuberosa Jack

국표에 없다.

Origin and Habitat: Southern Asia (Northwest coast of Borneo, East Malaysia, New Guinea, North Australia)
Habitat: Grows on the trees on the savannah.

Common Names include:
ENGLISH: Ant plant
GERMAN (Deutsch): Ameisenknolle
ITALIAN (Italiano): Pianta delle Formiche

Description: It is a remarkable smallish shrub-like, epiphytic, semi-succulent plant 25-75 cm tall, with a tuberous stem which is permeated by passages and cavities which serve as nests for an immense numbers of stinging-ants. The tuber clings to trees with its roots, shelter the ants and serve as a reservoir of food. This is referred to as the 'ant plant'

Stem: The base of the stem develops a large swollen, corky, semi-succulent, caudex (tuber-like lower part) about 10-25 cm thick often growing hanging downward. The tuber is rounded, ovoid or conical often flattened with ridges and mounds, rough and covered with rows of spines. Spines (if present) simple or branched. The interior of the tuber consists of a labyrinth of intercommunicating galleries, often with entrance holes visible in arcs on the upper surface of the tuber, inhabited by ants that defend the plants against parasite insect attack. Ant colonies also provide nutrients to the plants by leaving wastes within the tunnels inside the caudex. Special glands lining the tunnels then absorb nutriment for the plant. This symbiosis allows the plants to effectively gather nutrients (via the ants) from a much larger area than the roots ever could cover. Stems 1 to few usually unmbranched 10-50 cm long.
Roots: The roots show a range of shapes. Some roots may be relatively thick and tough, others very fine and fibrous.
Leaves: Opposite, crowded at the stems apexes, coriaceous, semi-succulent, oblong-cuneated, midrib prominent below. Petiole glabrous, petiolar stipulas ciliated.
Flowers: Sessile, very small white about 3-4 mm long; limb of calyx tubular with quite entire borders, corolla funnel-shaped, 4 cleft, throat of corolla closed with arched scales; stamen 4, inclosed; ovarium closed by a fleshy disk, style 1, stigma quadrifid.
Fruit: Drupe-baccate, crowned with the anular base of the calix and containing 4 seeds.
Seed: Papery arillate pyrenae.
Note: The germinating seedlings have a tumid base.

Myrmecodia tuberosa (llifle.com)

https://youtu.be/uHj8iBxVz5w?t=5062