Myrmecophila
Encyclopedia
Myrmecophila is a genus of plants belonging to the family Orchidaceae
. Species in this genus are either ephiphytic
or lithophytic
in their growth habit. Their slightly scented flowers are produced on pole like growths that extend upwards from 1 to 4 meters high and take up to 4 months to develop. Several of the Schomburgkia
species were transferred into the genus Myrmecophila by Robert Allen Rolfe
in 1917.
The name Myrmecophila is a derivative of the word myrmecophile and refers to the symbiotic relationship with colonies of ants that are usually found living in the large, hollowed-out, banana-like pseudobulbs. An opening in the base of each pseudobulb serves as an entrance for the ants which harvest nectar from the peduncles and flowers and forage on other plants in the community. The ants associated with Myrmecophila tibicinis pack many of the pseudobulbs with debris that includes other dead ants, a variety of insects, pieces of plant material, seeds and sand. Myrmecophila tibicinis directly utilizes minerals of the organic debris ("garbage dumps") deposited by the ants inside the hollow pseudobulbs. Since the open-canopied trees of the tropics can often be nutrient poor habitats, a small input of nutrients from insects can have a significant effect on plant survival and growth rates. Myrmecophila tibicinis can grow quite well in the absence of ants, though it is quite rare to find an uninhabited plant. The species of ant responsible for forming colonies in Myrmecophila tibicinis are as follows: Brachymyrmex
, Camponotus planatus, Camponotus abdominalis
, Camponotus rectangularis, and Crematogaster brevispinosa, Monomorium ebenium, Paratrechina longicornis, Zacryptocerus maculatus, and Ectatomma tuberculatum.
The type species Myrmecophila tibicinis is distributed in the tropical areas from southern Mexico through most of Central America.
Orchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
. Species in this genus are either ephiphytic
Epiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
or lithophytic
Lithophyte
Lithophytes are a type of plant that grows in or on rocks. Lithophytes feed off moss, nutrients in rain water, litter, and even their own dead tissue....
in their growth habit. Their slightly scented flowers are produced on pole like growths that extend upwards from 1 to 4 meters high and take up to 4 months to develop. Several of the Schomburgkia
Schomburgkia
Schomburgkia is a genus of plants belonging to the family Orchidaceae. This genus is named for Richard Schomburgk, a German botanist who explored British Guiana during the 19th century. Species in this genus are either ephiphytic or lithophytic in their growth habit...
species were transferred into the genus Myrmecophila by Robert Allen Rolfe
Robert Allen Rolfe
Robert Allen Rolfe was a British botanist specializing in the study of orchids. He was the first curator of the orchid herbarium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, founded the magazine The Orchid Review,and published many papers on hybrids of different species of orchids.The genus Allenrolfea of...
in 1917.
The name Myrmecophila is a derivative of the word myrmecophile and refers to the symbiotic relationship with colonies of ants that are usually found living in the large, hollowed-out, banana-like pseudobulbs. An opening in the base of each pseudobulb serves as an entrance for the ants which harvest nectar from the peduncles and flowers and forage on other plants in the community. The ants associated with Myrmecophila tibicinis pack many of the pseudobulbs with debris that includes other dead ants, a variety of insects, pieces of plant material, seeds and sand. Myrmecophila tibicinis directly utilizes minerals of the organic debris ("garbage dumps") deposited by the ants inside the hollow pseudobulbs. Since the open-canopied trees of the tropics can often be nutrient poor habitats, a small input of nutrients from insects can have a significant effect on plant survival and growth rates. Myrmecophila tibicinis can grow quite well in the absence of ants, though it is quite rare to find an uninhabited plant. The species of ant responsible for forming colonies in Myrmecophila tibicinis are as follows: Brachymyrmex
Brachymyrmex
Brachymyrmex is a genus in the ant subfamily Formicinae. These ants are native to Northern Africa but several species have spread around the world with human commerce. The genus can be recognized by the combination of having nine antennal segments and the petiole concealed by the gaster in dorsal...
, Camponotus planatus, Camponotus abdominalis
Camponotus abdominalis
Camponotus atriceps, previously referred as C. abdominalis, is a species of carpenter ant, endemic to the Americas.A variety of parasites have been identified from the subspecies, Camponotus abdominalis floridanus...
, Camponotus rectangularis, and Crematogaster brevispinosa, Monomorium ebenium, Paratrechina longicornis, Zacryptocerus maculatus, and Ectatomma tuberculatum.
The type species Myrmecophila tibicinis is distributed in the tropical areas from southern Mexico through most of Central America.
Species
- M. tibicinis Rchb.f Rolfe, Central America : type species
- M. albopurpurea [Strachan ex Fawcett] Nir, Grand Cayman Island
- M. brysiana (Lem.) G.C.Kenn.
- M. christinae Carnevali & Gómez-Juárez
- M. exaltata (Kraenzl.) G.C. Kenn., Central America
- M. galeottiana (A.Rich.) Rolfe
- M. grandiflora (Lindl.) Carnevali & J.L.Tapia & I.Ramírez
- M. humboldtiiMyrmecophila humboldtiiMyrmecophila humboldtii is a species in the orchid family found in Central America. The species is named after Alexander von Humboldt. Its natural distribution is from the South Caribbean to Venezuela....
[Rchb.f] Rolfe, Central America - M. thomsoniana [Rchb.f] Rolfe, Cayman Islands
- M. wendlandii (Rchb. f.) G.C. Kenn., Central America
Natural hybrid
- M. × laguna-guerrerae Carnevali, L.Ibarra & J.L.Tapia