Photo Essay Photo Essay

Photographer: Unspecified Photographer

Field: Protected plants

Some plants, such as Barteria fistulosa, are inhabited by ants that protect the tree from parasites and herbivores. Collecting this tree can be a very painful experience; when contact is made with the plant, ants come streaming out of the hollow branches and attack with ferocious biting and stinging. Species such as this were thrown on top of the car to await later processing.