Dischidia vidalii

Dischidia vidalii, commonly known as an "ant plant" or "kangaroo pouch", is a plant in the genus Dischidia native to the Philippines.[1] D. vidalii is an epiphytic climbing plant with clusters of pink or magenta flowers.[2] Like some others in its genus like Dischidia major and in the related genus Hoya, this species has evolved a symbiotic relationship with ants. In addition to small, oval leaves the plant develops significantly larger, hollow leaves where additional roots grow and there is habitat for ants where water and debris collect that nourish the roots.[3][4]

Dischidia vidalii
Dischidia vidalii growing both flowers and the larger pocket-like leaves that evolved as ant habitat
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Dischidia
Species:
D. vidalii
Binomial name
Dischidia vidalii
Becc.
Synonyms

Dischidia pectenoides

References

  1. "Dischidia vidalii Becc., Malesia 2: 272 (1886).", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. "Dischidia vidalii Becc". nparks.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 2020-10-21. Retrieved 2021-07-18.
  3. Merrill, Elmer D. (1995-10-15). Plant Life of the Pacific World. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4629-1216-2.
  4. Chomicki, Guillaume; Renner, Susanne S. (2015). "Phylogenetics and molecular clocks reveal the repeated evolution of ant-plants after the late Miocene in Africa and the early Miocene in Australasia and the Neotropics". The New Phytologist. 207 (2): 411–424. doi:10.1111/nph.13271. ISSN 0028-646X. PMID 25616013.


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