Arum and Cyclamen in Israel

Jane McGary via pbs pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net
Tue, 06 Apr 2021 12:42:33 PDT
Myrmechory was the subject of an elaborate article submitted to the Rock 
Garden Quarterly when I was its editor. It dealt with Erythronium. Here 
in the Pacific Northwest, we can spot concentrations of ants by the 
numerous Cyclamen hederifolium seedlings that pop up. Parts of my "lawn" 
are rich in these, and there are about 50 seedlings just under the 
roadside retaining wall. Another genus dispersed by ants is Trillium. In 
the Cascade foothills there is a species of ant that builds tall hills 
of conifer needles, and in my woods when I lived there I noticed many 
young Trillium ovatum near and even in these nests. When you clean 
cyclamen seed you can notice the sticky coating. I don't know if it is a 
germination inhibitor.

Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA

On 4/5/2021 9:39 PM, Shmuel Silinsky via pbs wrote:
> Thanks Robert. I looked it up - myrmecochory. Very cool. The ants take back
> the seeds to the nest and eat the nutritious coating  on the seed, which is
> then in a perfect place for germination. Mutualism at its best!
> Shmuel
>
>
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