A
large one from Copenhagen Botanical Garden, and it's caudex,
flowers and fruits.
Tiny plants found in the sphagnum.
Drawing of M. t. "papuana" by Eleanor Catherine.
Drawing of M. t. "manusensis" by Eleanor Catherine. |
Author: |
William Jack, 1823 |
Family: |
RUBIACEAE |
Origin: |
Northwest
Coast; Borneo, East Malaysia, New Guinea, North Australia |
Soil: |
No,
Epiphytic |
Water:
|
Maximum |
Sun: |
Minimum |
Thickness: |
15
Centimetres |
Height: |
75
Centimetres |
Flower:
|
White |
Propagate: |
Seeds |
Names:
|
Ant
Plant |
Synonyms: |
Might be a
synonym of:
Myrmecodia echinata, Charles
Gaudichaud-Beaupré, 1830.
Or.
Myrmecodia armata,
Augustin Pyramus de Candolle, 1830.
Anyway; there are a lot; see below... |
This member of the Rubiaceae
family was described by William Jack in 1823. It is found in the rainforests
of north-west coast of
Borneo, east Malaysia, New Guinea and north Australia. It is an epiphyte,
needs lots of water but not much sun. The caudex will grow to
fifteen centimetres in diameter, the stems can reach for
75 centimetres. The
tiny flowers are white, three to four millimetres, and the plant can only be reproduced by
seeds.
The genera name means 'ant
head'. The species name means 'tuberous'.
SubFamily: Rubioideae
Tribe: Psychotrieae
SubTribe: Hydnophytinae
A key
to the genera of the HYDNOPHYTTNAE is found on the
Myrmecodia alata
page.
And to add some confusion - or clearance, have a look at Eleanor
Catherine's great drawings below. |
Synonyms:
Lasiostoma tuberosum (Jack) Spreng.
Myrmecodia amboinensis Becc.
Myrmecodia apoensis Elmer
Myrmecodia armata DC.
Myrmecodia bullosa Becc.
Myrmecodia dahlii K.Schum.
Myrmecodia echinata F.Muell.
Myrmecodia echinata Gaudich.
Myrmecodia goramensis Becc.
Myrmecodia hispida A.Rich.
Myrmecodia inermis DC.
Myrmecodia kandariensis Becc.
Myrmecodia lanceolata Valeton
Myrmecodia menadensis Becc.
Myrmecodia muelleri Becc.
Myrmecodia oninensis Becc.
Myrmecodia paucispina Valeton
Myrmecodia peekelii Valeton
Myrmecodia pentasperma K.Schum.
Myrmecodia pulvinata Becc.
Myrmecodia rumphii Becc.
Myrmecodia salomonensis Becc.
Myrmecodia sibuyanensis Elmer
Myrmecodia sorsogonensis Elmer
Myrmecodia tuberosa Becc. ex Treub
Myrmecodia urdanetensis Elmer
Myrmecodia vivipara Warb.
Drawing of M. t. "bullosa" by Eleanor
Catherine.
Drawing of M. t. "dahlii" by Eleanor
Catherine.
Drawing of M. t. "versteegii" by Eleanor Catherine.
Drawing of M. t. "pulvinata" by Eleanor Catherine.
Drawing of M. t. "salomonensis"
by Eleanor Catherine.
|