Everyone gets a reward

A multi pic blip today

The ingenuity of plants never ceases to amaze me. This is Acacia cornigera(the Bullthorn Acacia)

Those little reddish/brown oval lumps at the ends of some of its leaves are called 'Beltian bodies' (after Thomas Belt - an English Geologist and Naturalist). They're rich in lipids, sugars, and proteins.

If you look at the 3rd pic - that's an ant. It's eyeing up its lunch.

This amazing plant has developed a symbiotic relationship with the ants. They live on the tree and inside the large thorn type structures that you can see (called Domatia). They defend it from being eaten by herbivores.

In return, the tree produces these Beltian bodies to feed and nourish the ants.

Simply astounding. Just wow.

Amazed