Dischidia major: taxon details and analytics
- Domain
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Phylum
- Tracheophyta
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Order
- Gentianales
- Family
- Apocynaceae
- Genus
- Dischidia
- Species
- Dischidia major
- Scientific Name
- Dischidia major
Summary description from Wikipedia:
Dischidia major
Dischidia major (Synonym Dischidia rafflesiana), the Malayan urn vine, is a plant in the genus Dischidia. They carry modified leaves, offering accommodation to ants, including those of the family Dolichoderinae, (most commonly Iridomyrmex myrmecodiae) and in return gain some sustenance from increased carbon dioxide and nitrogen levels, and a degree of protection from noxious animals and plants. This mutualism trait, known as myrmecophily, is widespread across the plant world and clearly carries considerable benefits for both ants and plant.
Dischidia major twines around the branches and trunks of trees, having a preference for those that are decaying. It produces both circular succulent leaves of about 2 cm diameter, and hollow, pouch-like 12 cm long leaves, reminiscent of the fruits of Araujia sericifera, a related species. These modified leaves, pitchers or ascidia, are purplish and richly dotted with stomata on the inner surface, and have an opening at the top end near the stalk. Organic debris and rainwater, possibly augmented by secreted fluids, accumulate in the cavity over the course of time, offering a source of nutrition which the plant uses by growing roots into the chamber. Dischidia astephana and D. parvifolia do not provide housing for resident ants, but have roots that penetrate decaying wood and humus, reaching into the ant nests and presumably obtaining nutrients from the ant waste there.
Dischidia major flowers are yellow striped with green, and arranged in few or many-flowered umbels. The fruit of D. major consists of the usual horn-shaped pair of follicles while the seed has a tuft of silky hairs at one end and includes an edible portion or elaiosome as incentive for ants to move the seed (myrmecochory) into nests inside the tree with an improved chance of germination and growth.
...Dischidia major in languages:
- Chinese
- 大王眼樹蓮
- English
- Malayan Urn Vine
- English
- Raffles' Dischidia
- Russian
- Дисхидия большая
- Thai
- บวบลม (จุกโรหินี)
Images from inaturalist.org observations:
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Parent Taxon
Sibling Taxa
- Dischidia acuminata
- Dischidia acutifolia
- Dischidia albida
- Dischidia albiflora
- Dischidia angustifolia
- Dischidia antennifera
- Dischidia argentii
- Dischidia astephana
- Dischidia bengalensis
- Dischidia carinata
- Dischidia chinensis
- Dischidia cochleata
- Dischidia dolichantha
- Dischidia ericiflora
- Dischidia formosana
- Dischidia fruticulosa
- Dischidia hahliana
- Dischidia hirsuta
- Dischidia imbricata
- Dischidia incrassata
- Dischidia lanceolata
- Dischidia longe-pedunculata
- Dischidia luzonica
- Dischidia major
- Dischidia mariae
- Dischidia micholitzii
- Dischidia micrantha
- Dischidia milnei
- Dischidia nummularia
- Dischidia oblongata
- Dischidia oiantha
- Dischidia ovata
- Dischidia papuana
- Dischidia parasita
- Dischidia parvifolia
- Dischidia pectenoides
- Dischidia platyphylla
- Dischidia puberula
- Dischidia pubescens
- Dischidia punctata
- Dischidia rafflesiana
- Dischidia rhodantha
- Dischidia ruscifolia
- Dischidia scortechinii
- Dischidia squamulosa
- Dischidia subulata
- Dischidia superba
- Dischidia tomentella
- Dischidia tonkinensis
- Dischidia vadosa




































































