Photo by Xiaohua Dai with Nokia e50 @ Youshan, Ganzhou, China, July 2008 戴小华2008年7月摄于江西赣州油山江西省林业实验中学野外实习基地,Nokia E50 The extrafloral nectaries on leaf baseof Mallotus apelta can attract ants to feed or nest there. The ants will provide patrol and defense for the plants. It is an interesting mutualistic relation. We even found several ant species on a leaf. 带学生野外实习,突然发现有的植物叶子基部有蚁巢,如果没有蚁巢就有些蚂蚁在叶基忙碌。经鉴定,该植物为白背叶 Mallotus apelta ,基部有腺点, 可以分泌蜜液吸引蚂蚁。而蚂蚁可以提供巡逻和防御作为回报。这是一种互利共生的关系。我们甚至在一片叶子上看到了几种蚂蚁。