An example of ant‐assisted plant invasion

At a site near Armidale, New South Wales, Australia, unplanted individuals of two plant species not native to the region (Grevillea rosmarinifolia and Viola odorata) grow predominantly within 5 m of a nest of the ant Iridomyrmex purpureus, which is situated 40–50 m from planted, parent individuals. Seeds of both species, but not of two other plant species (Dianthus barbatus. Nigella damascena) not growing near the nest, were shown to be attractive to ants. Marked seeds of V. odorata were observed being carried into the I. purpureus nest, and some (with most of the elaiosome removed) were later discarded by ants from the nest. Plant invasion apparently is being facilitated by myrmecochory.