Hallo all This is my submission for the flora picture of the year-2009. inspired to some extent by David Attenborough's "private life of plants" i keep looking for some less noticed structures on the plants which enhance their attraction, used in defense or for any other purpose other than the routine. The leaf is that of Erythrina suberosa. its a young leaf which is almost all covered with a lot of hair. the base of leaf is possesses these extrafloral nectaries which stand out of the hair covering the young parts. the nectaries probably act in plant defense by attracting ants which feed on the nectar produced by these nectaries. these ants inturn protect the plant, flowers and flower buds from insect pests.
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