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Myrmecodia horrida, Rondon Ridge, Western Highlands Province. PNG.


Derrick

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This species has in addition to its complex of tunnels and chambers within its tuber, additional connecting tunnels that run the length of its thick stems to open at alveoli. There are three other closely related species that share this characteristic. The second image shows entrance alveoli to the stem tunnels.

145 Myrmecodia horrida above 7,000 ft. (2134 m.) Rondon Ridge overlooking Mt Hagan City..JPG]

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Myrmecodia horrida Huxley & Jebb published in Blumea 37(2) 1993.

This is a member of the M. ferox, M. gracilispina and M. melanacantha complex where tuber chambers connect with tunnels running the length of stems to openings at alveoli.

  Tuber irregularly cylindrical, to 26 x 14 cm with ridges to 4 cm apart running most of the tuber length, surface grey-green when young, later grey-brown, with numerous lenticel-like blocked pores, sunken when alive but raised when dry; spines mainly on ridges, simple, stout, black, with rounded flattened (??) bases. Superficial chambers little developed. Stem solitary, un-branched, horizontal to ascending, 1.5-3.8 cm across; clypeoli absent but alveoli round with swollen red-brown rims, prominently raised at an angle to stem; fruit red, seed 8.

  Habitats in both disturbed and secondary montane forests at altitudes of 1900-2400 m. (6234-7874 ft.)  Records: Papua New Guinea; Jimi Divide, Kepaka and Tambul in the Western Highlands; on road to Keglsugl from Madang, Madang Province; at Goroka Trout Farm and Koge Mission at Kainantu in the Eastern Highlands and near Onim, Ai, and Aseki Divide in the Southern Highlands, PNG.

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