| Author: | Odoardo
Beccari, 1884 |
| Family: |
RUBIACEAE |
| Origin: |
Northern Irian Jaya;
Indonesia |
| Soil: |
Epiphytic |
| Water:
|
Medium |
| Sun: |
Maximum |
| Thickness: |
7 Centimetres |
| Height: |
45 Centimetres |
| Flower:
|
Bluish
White |
| Propagate: |
Seeds |
| Names:
|
- |
| Synonyms: |
Myrmecodia aruensis, Becc.
Myrmecodia prolifera, Merr. & L.M.Perry. |
This member of the Rubiaceae family was given this name by Odoardo
Beccari in 1884. It is found
in northern Irian Jeya in Indonesia, growing as an epiphyte with
quite some water and some to lots of sun. The caudex can grow to seven
centimetres in diameter, 15 centimetres long, the entire plant to 45 centimetres in
height with only one, unbranched stem. The
flowers are bluish white, while the fruits are yellow.
The genera name means 'ant head'.
The species name means 'winged'.
C.R. Huxley & M.H.P. Jebb
Key to the genera of
THE HYDNOPHYTTNAE
la. Flower 6-merous, bracts or bract hairs
conspicuous...................................Myrmephytum
b. Flower 4-merous, bracts and bract hairs
conspicuous or
not................................................2
2a. Inflorescence solitary, ± centralor laterally
displaced in the leafaxil.........................................3
b. Inflorescence paired, side by side, sometimes
displaced along the
stem.......................................5
3a. Inflorescence ± centralto leaf axil, sessile to
sunken, large,
0.5-4 cm across; stem branches
and spines sometimes conspicuous, arising
among the peduncular patches.........Anthorrhiza
b. Inflorescence not central to leafaxil, pedunculate
to sessile, rarely
terminal, less than 0.5 cm broad
at the base. Spines absent from the inflorescence,
but adventitiousroots sometimespresent..............4
4a. Tuber with rings ofentrance holes, concentric
about the tuberaxis. Corolla with fringed plates
at the base of the
tube......................Squamellaria
b. Entrance holes scattered over the tuber surface
or in two lines along
the sides of the tuber.
Corolla glabrous or with a ring of hairs
within the
tube.................................Hydnophytum
5a. Inflorescence sunken. Tuber and stem
with spines or adventitious
roots especially
around holes and inflorescences. Stems one
to few,
thick, branching sparse or absent;
vascular tissue in 4 bundles. Leaves never
less
than 5 cm long. Pyrenes 4-10....Myrmecodia
b. Inflorescence pedunculate to sessile. Tuber and
stem without spines,
occasionally with adventitious
roots. Stems one to many, slender; ±
freely
branching; vascular tissue forming a cylinder.
Leaves 0.3-30 cm. Pyrenes
2-4......Hydnophytum |
