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Dischidia major
Also called Raffles' Dischidia
Dischidia major is a climbing epiphyte from wet tropical forests of Southeast Asia and northern Australia that twines around tree trunks and branches. It is grown for its unusual urn-shaped leaves, which house ants, and it needs warm, humid, bright conditions.
Dischidia major (Synonym Dischidia rafflesiana), the Malayan urn vine, is a plant in the genus Dischidia. They carry modified leaves, offering accommodation to ants, including those of the family Dolichoderinae, (most commonly Iridomyrmex myrmecodiae) and in return gain some sustenance from increased carbon dioxide and nitrogen levels, and a degree of protection from noxious animals and plants. This mutualism trait, known as myrmecophily, is widespread across the plant world and clearly carries considerable benefits for both ants and plant.
Dischidia major is found in wet-tropical forests in Southeast Asia from Malaya east to northern Australia. It twines around the branches and trunks of trees, having a preference for those that are decaying.
Dischidia astephana · Dischidia diphylla · Dischidia formosana · Dischidia hirsuta · Dischidia imbricata · Button orchid · Hanging Coin Vine · Watermelon Dischidia · Dischidia platyphylla · Dischidia puberula · Dischidia ruscifolia · Dischidia tonkinensis
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Dischidia major by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
