Ant-Plant Myrmecodia Beccarii IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

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Threatened Species of Cape York Peninsula Ant-Plant Myrmecodia beccarii IDENTIFICATION GUIDE In the Family of Australian ant-plants there are two Genera of Rubiaceous ant-plants; Myrmecodia (domatia with spines and thick stems) and Hydnophytum (domatia without spines and thin stems). Ant-plantspines: in the southern extentofits range (WetTropics), The bulbous domatia of Myrmecodia beccarii houses the Golden mature Myrmecodia beccarii have smoother domatia (fewer spines) Ant and the larvaeofthe vulnerable Apollo Jewel Butterfly. Photo: than the spinier Cape York population.Note: seedlings lack spines. Garry Sankowsky Photo: Cape York NRM HABITAT Myrmecodia beccarii is an epiphyte that grows on trees in lowland paperbark swamps & mangroves. It is never found in the rainforest(unlike M. platytyrea & M. tuberosa that are found in all 3 habitats). Paperbark (Melaleuca) woodland.Photo: Cape York NRM Mangrove forest.Photo: Cape York NRM STEMS M. beccarii stems have indentations and never have shields (also called clypeoli). Indentations.Photo: Cape York NRM Shields.Photo: Melinda Greenfield FRUIT FLOWER Creamy white in M. beccarii, red/orange fruit in the All 3 species have whitef lowers (that canbeconfused other two species. Observed in the wet season only. with fruit from a distance). Emerging white flower Creamywhite jelly-bean likefruit.Photo: Melinda Greenfield Flower.Photo: Melinda Greenfield DOMATIA (Lower part of stem/bulbous tuber): no ridges on domatia of M. beccarii Ridges absent.Photo: Melinda Greenfield Distinct lines/ridges.Photo: Melinda Greenfield HOW YOU Report yoursightings of an Ant-Plant at: CAN HELP www.capeyorknrm.com.au/citizen-science/record-sighting This project is supportedbyCape York NRM through funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program..

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