234 Groom. — On Dischidia rafflesiana ( Wall .). 
Imbued with the idea that ants may be the source of 
a considerable revenue to the plants, an enquiry into the 
literature of myrmecophilous plants naturally suggests itself. 
Have we evidence that any other epiphytes are directly 
benefited by the presence of ants ? or do any myrmecophilous 
plants give off adventitious roots in an abnormal manner in 
order to utilize supplies brought by ants? Neither of these 
questions can be certainly answered. However with reference 
to the former question it may be pointed out that Schomburgk 
states that he found ants constantly present amongst the 
roots of certain epiphytic species of Epidendrum and Cory- 
antkes : he adds that the ants were so numerous that it was 
impossible to collect the flowers without being bitten by 
them. Appun 1 says that these orchids perish if the ants are 
removed from them. Still there is no evidence that ants 
bring stores of humus to the roots of these plants, though 
such is possibly the case. With regard to the second question, 
ants are constantly found living in immense numbers in the 
galleries which excavate the swollen, tuber-like, bases of the 
stems of Myrmecodia and Hydnophytum. In both these 
genera adventitious roots are developed from the walls of the 
galleries. Beccari figures a copious formation of adventitious 
roots within the galleries of Hydnophytum guppyanum 2 
(Becc.). Guppy observed that a dirty liquid was contained in 
the central chamber of this system of galleries. Beccari 
points out that similar adventitious roots are not known to be 
developed to such an extent in other species of Hydnophytum 
or Myrmecodia : so he associates these two facts and supposes 
that the roots are developed for the purpose of absorbing the 
store of food thus laid before them. But Beccari has not 
microscopically examined these supposed roots. Treub 3 found 
in the galleries of a Javan Myrmecodia lenticels and a few feeble 
roots. He shows that the lenticels are not normal, but he 
decides that they do not absorb liquids. Of the roots he states 
1 Quoted in Goebel, loc. cit. 
2 Beccari, loc. cit. 
3 Treub, Sur le Myrmecodia echinata , Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, vol. ii. 
