What is "myrmecophyte"

Myrmecophyte \Myr"me*co*phyte`\, n. [Gr. my`rmhx, my`rmhkos, ant + fyto`n plant.] (Bot.) A plant that affords shelter and food to certain species of ants which live in symbiotic relations with it. Special adaptations for this purpose exist; thus, Acacia spadicigera has large hollows thorns, and species of Cecropia have stem cavities. -- Myr`me*co*phyt"ic, a.

n. A plant that lives in association with a colony of ants. The degree of association varies and is assumed to be symbiotic in some cases.

n. plant that affords shelter or food to ants that live in symbiotic relations with it

Myrmecophyte (mər′mek•ə‚fīt; literally "ant-plant") is a plant that lives in a mutualistic association with a colony of ants. There are over 100 different genera of myrmecophytes. These plants possess structural adaptations that provide ants with food and/or shelter. These specialized structures include domatia, food bodies, and extrafloral nectaries. In exchange for food and shelter, ants aid the myrmecophyte in pollination, seed dispersal, gathering of essential nutrients, and/or defense. Specifically, domatia adapted to ants may be called myrmecodomatia.