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Ant Garden
An ant garden is a mutualistic interaction between certain species of arboreal ants and various epiphytic plants. It is a structure made in the tree canopy by the ants that is filled with debris and other organic matter in which epiphytes grow. The ants benefit from this arrangement by having a stable framework on which to build their nest while the plants benefit by obtaining nutrients from the soil and from the moisture retained there. Description Epiphytes are common in tropical rain forest and in cloud forest. An epiphyte normally derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, mist and dew. Nitrogenous matter is in short supply and the epiphytes benefit significantly from the nutrients in the ant garden. The ant garden is made from "carton", a mixture of vegetable fibres, leaf debris, refuse, glandular secretions and ant faeces. The ants use this material to build their nests among the branches of the trees, to shelter the hemipteran insects that they tend in order to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mutualism (biology)
Mutualism describes the ecological interaction between two or more species where each species has a net benefit. Mutualism is a common type of ecological interaction. Prominent examples include most vascular plants engaged in mutualistic interactions with mycorrhizae, flowering plants being pollinated by animals, vascular plants being dispersed by animals, and corals with zooxanthellae, among many others. Mutualism can be contrasted with interspecific competition, in which each species experiences ''reduced'' fitness, and exploitation, or parasitism, in which one species benefits at the expense of the other. The term ''mutualism'' was introduced by Pierre-Joseph van Beneden in his 1876 book ''Animal Parasites and Messmates'' to mean "mutual aid among species". Mutualism is often conflated with two other types of ecological phenomena: cooperation and symbiosis. Cooperation most commonly refers to increases in fitness through within-species (intraspecific) interactions, althoug ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cactaceae
A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek word (''káktos''), a name originally used by Theophrastus for a spiny plant whose identity is now not certain. Cacti occur in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Although some species live in quite humid environments, most cacti live in habitats subject to at least some drought. Many live in extremely dry environments, even being found in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth. Because of this, cacti show many adaptations to conserve water. For example, almost all cacti are succulents, meaning they have thickened, fleshy parts adapted to store water. Unlike many other succulents, the stem is the only part of most cacti where this vital process takes place. Most species of cacti have lost true leaves, retaining only Thorns, s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Horticulture
Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and non-food crops such as grass and ornamental trees and plants. It also includes plant conservation, landscape restoration, landscape and garden design, construction, and maintenance, and arboriculture, ornamental trees and lawns. The study and practice of horticulture have been traced back thousands of years. Horticulture contributed to the transition from nomadic human communities to sedentary, or semi-sedentary, horticultural communities.von Hagen, V.W. (1957) The Ancient Sun Kingdoms Of The Americas. Ohio: The World Publishing Company Horticulture is divided into several categories which focus on the cultivation and processing of different types of plants and food items for specific purposes. In order to conserve the science of horticultur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ants
Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22,000 species have been classified. They are easily identified by their geniculate (elbowed) antennae and the distinctive node-like structure that forms their slender waists. Ants form colonies that range in size from a few dozen predatory individuals living in small natural cavities to highly organised colonies that may occupy large territories and consist of millions of individuals. Larger colonies consist of various castes of sterile, wingless females, most of which are workers (ergates), as well as soldiers (dinergates) and other specialised groups. Nearly all ant colonies also have some fertile males called "drones" and one or more fertile females called "queens" (gynes). The colonies are described as superorganisms because the ants appea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hoya Elliptica
Hoya may refer to: Places *Hoya, Germany, a city in Lower Saxony, Germany *County of Hoya, a former state in present Germany * Hoya, Tokyo, now incorporated within Nishi-tokyo, Tokyo, Japan * Hoya, Hpruso, a place in Hpruso Township, Kayah, Myanmar * Hoya, Spain, a hamlet in Lorca, Spain * Hoya, Zimbabwe, a ward of Zimbabwe Other uses * ''Hoya'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Hoya (singer), a former member of the South Korean band Infinite * Hoya Corporation, a Japanese company that manufactures optical equipment *''The Hoya'', a campus newspaper at Georgetown University *Georgetown Hoyas, the athletic teams of Georgetown University *Sea pineapple or , a species of edible sea squirt *Hoya (speed cubing method), a method to solve a 4x4x4, 5x5x5 and other big cubes. See also *Heuer *Hoia (other) Hoia may refer to: * Hoia Forest, in Romania * ''Hoia'' (crustacean), a genus of parasitic crustaceans in the family Chondracanthidae See also * HolA In molecula ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hoya (plant)
''Hoya'' is a genus of over 500 accepted species of tropical plants in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. Most are native to several countries of Asia such as Philippines, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Polynesia, New Guinea, and vast variety of species could also be found in Australia. Common names for this genus are waxplant, waxvine, waxflower or simply hoya. This genus was named by botanist Robert Brown, in honour of his friend, botanist Thomas Hoy. Description Hoyas are evergreen perennial creepers or vines or rarely, shrubs. They often grow epiphytically on trees; some grow terrestrially, or occasionally in rocky areas. They climb by twining, and with the employment of adventitious roots. Larger species grow , or more, with suitable support in trees. They have simple entire leaves, arranged in an opposite pattern, that are typically succulent. Leaves may exhibit a variety of forms, and may be smooth, felted or hairy; venation may be prominent ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Azteca (ant)
''Azteca'' is a strictly Neotropical genus of ants in the subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ... Dolichoderinae. The genus is very diverse and contains around 84 extant species and two fossil species. They are essentially arboreal and many species have Mutualism (biology), mutualistic associations with particular plant species, where the genus ''Cecropia'' presents the most conspicuous association. In the Brazilian Amazonia, ''Azteca'' species are associated with species of ''Codonanthopsis''. Species *''Azteca adrepens'' Forel, 1911 *''Azteca aesopus'' Forel, 1908 *''Azteca alfari'' Emery, 1893 *†''Azteca alpha'' Wilson, 1985 *''Azteca andreae'' Guerrero, Delabie & Dejean, 2010 *''Azteca angusticeps'' Emery, 1893 *''Azteca aragua'' Longino, 1991 *''Azteca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Codonanthe
''Codonanthe'' is a genus of mainly epiphytic plants in the family Gesneriaceae, endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. The botanical name comes from the Ancient Greek for 'bellflower'. They have white or pale pink flowers and somewhat fleshy leaves. In 2013, the genus was reduced in size when more than half of the species were transferred to '' Codonanthopsis''. They can be grown as houseplants, particularly in hanging baskets. Artificial crosses with '' Nematanthus'' hybrids have produced the hybrid genus × ''Codonatanthus''. Description ''Codonanthe'' species are subshrubs, generally growing as epiphytes, occasionally on rocks. Unlike '' Codonanthopsis'' species, they never grow in ant gardens. They have stems with few branches, which may be upright, creeping or hanging, and often produce roots along their length (adventitious roots). The leaves have a short or very short petiole (stalk), and are fleshy, with either smooth or hairy surfaces. The flowers, produced in t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Codonanthopsis
''Codonanthopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae. Its native range is from southern Mexico through tropical America to Bolivia and most of Brazil. ''Codonanthopsis'' species are generally trailing epiphytes with pale flowers. Most have a mutualistic relationship with tree-living ants: the plants provide the ants with food, including nectar, and give their nests structure and support, while the ants disperse the plants' seeds. The genus was considerably expanded in 2013 when species were transferred from ''Codonanthe''. Some ''Codonanthopsis'' species are cultivated as houseplants, when they may be grown in hanging baskets. Description ''Codonanthopsis'' species are subshrubs, generally growing as epiphytes, often in ant gardens (unlike ''Codonanthe'' species which never grow in ant gardens). They have stems usually long, occasionally long, with few branches. The stems are usually hanging or creeping, and sometimes produce roots along their lengt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Solanaceae
The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and ornamentals. Many members of the family contain potent alkaloids, and some are highly toxic, but many—including tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, bell and chili peppers—are used as food. The family belongs to the order Solanales, in the asterid group and class Magnoliopsida ( dicotyledons). The Solanaceae consists of about 98 genera and some 2,700 species, with a great diversity of habitats, morphology and ecology. The name Solanaceae derives from the genus ''Solanum''. The etymology of the Latin word is unclear. The name may come from a perceived resemblance of certain solanaceous flowers to the sun and its rays. At least one species of ''Solanum'' is known as the "sunberry". Alternatively, the name could originate from the Latin verb ''sol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Piperaceae
The Piperaceae (), also known as the pepper family, are a large family of flowering plants. The group contains roughly 3,600 currently accepted species in 5 genera. The vast majority of species can be found within the two main genera: ''Piper'' (2,171 species) and ''Peperomia'' (over 1,000 species). Members of the Piperaceae may be small trees, shrubs, or herbs. The distribution of this group is best described as pantropical. The best-known species, ''Piper nigrum'', yields most peppercorns that are used as spices, including black pepper, although its relatives in the family include many other spices. Etymology The name Piperaceae is likely to be derived from the Sanskrit term ''pippali'', sa, पिप्पली, which was used to describe long peppers (like those of ''Piper longum''). Taxonomy The APG III system of 2009 recognizes this family, and assigns it to the order Piperales in the unranked clade magnoliids. The family consists of five genera: ''Piper'', ''Peperom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
