#myrmecophyte

Lecanopteris mirabilis

This fascinating little plant stumped me for a while- is it a Fab? A Scroph (or whatever Scrophs happen to be these days)? Turns out to be Corydalis aurea of the Papaveraceae family, formerly the Fumariaceae. Papaveraceae is the poppy family- wonder how they got classified there!? They're cute lil plants, at any rate, with the cute lil common name of scrambled eggs. 😆 I'm curious to know if that little white tissue attached to the seeds is an elaiosome- a detachable food source used to attract ants. The ants carry the seeds back to the colony, remove and consume the elaiosomes which are made of lipids, proteins and/or sugars, and discard the seeds in their "midden heaps." This provides the ants with a good meal and the seeds with a safe, nutrient rich environment to germinate. #Papaveraceae #Corydalis #wildflowers #arizona #nativeplants #botanize #botany #plants #nature #naturephotography #plantnatives  #ecology #ants #Elaiosome #myrmecophyte (at Kendrick Mountain Wilderness)

Tropical bromelaids often have cup shaped reservoires of water formed by their leaves. A. brevicollis however has elected to instead shield water from its center, to make it more hospitable for a special guest: ants. Plants that are closely associated with ants are called myrmecophiles (ant-loving). Those plants that take this association a step further and house the ants within them are called myrmecophytes (ant-plant). The domatia, the hollow chambers formed by the hard leaves, provide the ants with protection from the elements. In return, the ants defend their home from pests that would harm it as well as feed the plant with their dung and detritus.