ABSTRACT
Myrmecophily and ant-plants The relationships between plants and insects are very diverse and complex. Ant-plant relations are a result of evolution that has allowed plants to sur vive on a poor soil with the help of the insects. Contrary to that of carnivo rous plants, this is a true mutualism; ants, in exchange for lodging, provide the plants with priming of weeds and climbers, defense, and nitrogen enrich ment. Mite-plants, or acarophytes, seem to exist and to be more common than previously believed. The reality of this association, rejected by Schnell (1966), is accepted by biologists working on the topic today, mostly Ameri cans and Australians. Ant relationships with plants are very diverse and include such things as seed dispersal, ant gardens, etc. All these aspects will be discussed below.
