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Glite Dictionary
myrmecophyte

myrmecophyte

9.9
A plant that lives with ants and gives them shelter or food
  • noun
  • /ˌmɜːrmɪˈkɒfaɪt/
  • Specialized
: mirmecófito
  • The rainforest is home to many myrmecophytes that shelter ant colonies in their hollow stems.

Examples

  • Some myrmecophyte species rely on ants for protection against herbivores.

  • The myrmecophyte offers shelter to various ant species.

  • Researchers study the mutual benefits between myrmecophytes and their resident ants.

  • Did you know that some plants are myrmecophytes?

  • The rainforest is home to many myrmecophytes that shelter ant colonies in their hollow stems.

  • Researchers study the mutual benefits between myrmecophytes and their resident ants.

  • Some myrmecophyte species rely on ants for protection against herbivores.

Surface Forms

myrmecophyte singular
myrmecophytes plural

Morphology

myrmecophyte = myrmeco + phyte

Formed from specialized Greek combining forms ('myrmeco-' = ant, '-phyte' = plant) that are not productive or recognizable to average B1 learners, so the meaning cannot be reliably derived from the parts.

Etymology

Myrmecophyte comes from Greek parts myrmeco- ('ant') and -phyte ('plant'), so it literally means 'ant-plant'. A myrmecophyte is a plant that lives with, shelters, or feeds ants, which explains its modern meaning.