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Foliar Extrafloral Nectar of Humboldtia brunonis (Fabaceae), a Paleotropic Ant‐plant, is Richer than Phloem Sap and More Attractive than Honeydew
Author(s) -
Chanam Joyshree,
Kasinathan Srinivasan,
Pramanik Gautam K.,
Jagdeesh Amaraja,
Joshi Kanchan A.,
Borges Renee M.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
biotropica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.813
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1744-7429
pISSN - 0006-3606
DOI - 10.1111/btp.12185
Subject(s) - honeydew , nectar , phloem , biology , hemiptera , fabaceae , myrmecophyte , myrmecophily , hymenoptera , botany , ant , mutualism (biology) , ecology , pollen
The ant‐plant H umboldtia brunonis secretes extrafloral nectar ( EFN ) despite the lack of antiherbivore protection from most ants. EFN was richer in composition than phloem sap and honeydew from untended Hemiptera on the plant, suggesting that EFN could potentially distract ants from honeydew, since ants rarely tended Hemiptera on this plant.