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Hi,
Thought this might be interesting.
Had recently posted photographs of Tamilnadia uliginosa flowering at this link :
Have over the last few weekends on visits to my property at Shahapur, noticed that while Catunaregam spinosa [Ghela] & Meyna laxiflora [Aaliv] were fruiting freely, Tamilnadia uliginosa [Pandhari] showed no such inclination.
A plausible explanation :
Ants feed on a variety of substances such as sugar matter, nectar, seeds, other ants & invertebrates.
Ants are ineffecient pollinators and are likely to interfere with pollen germination and pollen tube growth [because their antibiotic secretions Myrmicacins are known to suppress bacterial & fungal growth in their nests]. To offset this several plants provide ants with alternate nectar sources called 'extrafloral nectaries'.
As seen in these photographs, the Asiatic species of Weaver Ants [Oecophylla smaragdina] have possibly prevented pollination of the flowers of Pandhari by incorporating them within their nests.
With regards,
Neil Soarres.
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