Tree
Acacia
Vachellia cornigera (L.) Seigler & Ebinger
Mexico to Central America
Fun factIt is one of the classic ant-plants: obligate Pseudomyrmex ants (P. spinicola, P. flavicornis, P. nigrocinctus and P. particeps in Costa Rica) live inside the hollow horn-shaped thorns and defend the plant.
A thorny shrub or small tree of dry Pacific-slope forest, easily recognised by its paired, swollen thorns shaped like cattle horns. The thorns are hollow and house colonies of stinging Pseudomyrmex ants, which the plant feeds with nectar from glands on the leaves and with small protein-rich bodies on the leaflet tips; in return the ants attack anything that touches the plant. Tiny yellow flowers in spikes are followed by mahogany-coloured pods with sweet pulp.
Sourced · see Record tab
1on the estate
1carrying a tag
0sponsored
FamilyFabaceae
Spanish nameAcacia
Also known asBullhorn acacia, Swollen-thorn acacia, Cornizuelo
Native toMexico to Central America; in Costa Rica found only on the dry Pacific slope
| Tag | Garden area | Zone | Planted | Status | Sponsored | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 356 | — | — | — | Planted | — |
0 of these have no tag yet; they will be numbered when the garden team re-tags the estate.