Squamellaria

Squamellaria
S. imberbis on the island of Taveuni at about 2,200 feet elevation in forest along Somosomo Creek
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Gentianales
Family:	Rubiaceae
Subfamily:	Rubioideae
Tribe:	Psychotrieae
Genus:	Squamellaria Becc. (1886)
Species [1]
see text

Squamellaria is a genus of myrmecophytic flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. ^[2] It includes eight species native to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji. ^[1]

Ecology

The Fijian species of this genus are symbiotic with ants of the species Philidris nagasau , which live inside the tuberous stems of these plants. The ants remove seeds from the fruit and place them in locations where they are likely to succeed as epiphytes. They also fertilise the plants with their manure, and defend them against herbivores. ^[3] An ant colony may occupy dozens of Squamellaria tubers.

It is one of five ant-plant genera in the family Rubiaceae, the others being Anthorrhiza , Hydnophytum , Myrmecodia , and Myrmephytum . ^[4]

Species

Eight species are accepted: ^[1]

• Squamellaria grayi Chomicki & Wistuba – Fiji
• Squamellaria guppyana (Becc.) Chomicki – Solomon Islands
• Squamellaria huxleyana Chomicki – Fiji
• Squamellaria imberbis (A.Gray) Becc. (syn. S. wilsonii ^[1] ) – Fiji (Vanua Levu)
• Squamellaria kajewskii (Merr. & L.M.Perry) Chomicki – Solomon Islands (Bougainville, Santa Isabel)
• Squamellaria major A.C.Sm. – Fiji (Taveuni: Mt. Manuka)
• Squamellaria thekii Jebb – Fiji
• Squamellaria vanuatuensis Jebb & C.R.Huxley ex Chomicki & S.S.Renner – Vanuatu

References

1. Squamellaria Becc. Plants of the World Online . Retrieved 18 January 2024.
2. "Squamellaria in the World Checklist of Rubiaceae" . Retrieved 26 April 2014.
3. Newitz, Annalee (23 November 2016). "In Fiji Ants Have Learned to Grow Plants to House Their Massive Colonies" . Retrieved 3 January 2017.
4. Jebb M, Huxley C (8 February 2009). "A revision of the ant-plant genus Hydnophytum (Rubiaceae)". National Botanic Gardens Glasnevin website. Dublin, Ireland: National Botanic Gardens Glasnevin. Retrieved 19 December 2009.