EPIPHYTES FROM CAPE YORK, NORTH AUSTRALIA, 51 
indicating that they were both found growing in the same locality. 
Dr. Jack observes, ** I am not aware that these plants have been de- 
scribed by any botanist since the time of Rumphius, or that any con- 
jecture has been made regarding their place and family from his figures 
or description. From their common habit as Epiphytes, I should have 
been much inclined to place them under one genus; but the different 
number of seeds in each drupe, supported by the difference of a simple 
and bifid stigma, seems to oppose this, while the distinction is further 
confirmed by the different disposition and insertion of the leaves, which 
in Hydnophytum are arranged precisely as usual in the Rudiacee, but 
in Myrmecodia are crowded round the thick fleshy branches in such a 
manner that their being really opposite is not immediately apparent, 
while their insertion on their broad peltate basis is further peculiar.” 
The largest tuber of H. formicarum in the Botanic Gardens collection 
measured three feet seven inches in circumference, but in those of M. 
armata none exceeded one foot eleven inches in circumference. A ve 
singular fact connected with these plants is that the tubers are generally 
inhabited by ants, and hollowed by them into numerous winding pas- 
sages extending in every direction. This having been mentioned as 
peculiar to those found in the Eastern Islands, it was interesting to 
observe if it also obtained in the specimens brought from Cape York. 
On first examining H. formicarum, I observed the tubers appeared 
fistular, and on closer examination, several small auts of a brownish 
colour were observed passing in and out of these openings. I there- 
fore selected one plant which was nearly dead, and on a section being 
made, a series of galleries was seen branching through every part of 
the tuber, having a very singular appearance. The galleries are lined 
with a coating of animal matter of such extreme tenacity that, as the 
tuber decays, the galleries may be removed entire. I next selected a 
specimen of M. armata, and a section was made with the same result, 
except that, this tuber being moister than the preceding, the galleries 
were not formed to so great an extent. These observations prove that 
the ants form their galleries in the tubers of the plants from Cape York 
as in the Eastern Islands, and are probably never known in any other 
condition. 
Specimens of these curious plants were sent by Mr. C. Moore to 
Dr. Hooker, for the Royal Gardens at Kew, in December 1866, but 
having understood they had not arrived, a second collection was sent 
