长茎蚁兰

M. tibicinis is found from the gulf of Mexico south through most of Central America. Specific countries it is found in include Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua (CITES 2007).

Myrmecophila tibicinis, previously known as Schomburgkia tibicinis and Myrmecophila christinae, is a tropical epiphytic orchid most often found growing on palm trunks in dune vegetation along the coast. It has creamy yellow to purplish rose flowers and exhibits a nectar deceit pollination system based on floral scents that attract naïve bee (Parra-Tabla and Vargas 2007, ). This pollination system is mediated by two species of large solitary bee species, Eulamaema plychroma and Xyclopa sp. Due to its pollination system (Parra-Tabla et al. 2009), M. tibicinis has both low visitation rates and very low pollination success (Parra-Tabla and Vargas 2007). High landscape fragmentation in many of its habitats has lead to a variable population size of M. tibicinis (Parra-Tabla et al. 2011).

M. tibicinis is an epiphyte, though sometimes a lithophyte, found on large branches or trunks of trees along the coastline or in seasonally dry deciduous forests. In Yucatan, Mexico, it is usually found growing on the trunks of Coccothrinax readii and Thrinax radiata palms (Rico-Gray et al. 1989).

Each individual of M. tibicinis can have about 30-40 large hollow pseudobulbs, though only grows about 1-2 pseudobulbs a year. These pseudobulbs are hard, basally thick and taper upwards. They have strong ridges and are hollow with an opening at the base. Each pseudobulb also has 2-3 leathery leaves (Dressler 1993). M. tibicinis also has 2-5 apical, elliptic conical to cylindrical persistent leaves. These leaves bloom in the spring and are 20-30cm long and 3-7cm broad (Parra-Tabla and Vargas 2007).

Each individual produces about 700,000 wind-dispersed seeds (Parra-Tabla and Vargas 2004).

M. tibicinis populations have experienced negative impacts from both extraction due to illegal extraction for ornamental use and habitat fragmentation from infrastructure development for the tourist industry (Parra-Tabla et al. 2011).

Flowers of M. tibicinis are large (8-9 cm) and are located on top of large two-meter long inflorescence stalks. Each plant has about two stalks, with 6-15 flowers per inflorescence stalks. The androecium, style and stigmas of the flower are all fused. Flowering season occurs from May to July. Each flower remains open for seven to ten days. Greater floral display size has been found to increase both male and female success (Parra-Tabla and Vargas 2007).

M. tibicinis has a nectar deceit pollination system that is mediated by two species of large solitary bees: Eulaema polychrome and Xylocopa sp. The flowers produce no floral nectar or other form of reward. Pollination is based on floral scents that attract recently emerged, or naïve, bees. Flowers produce strong vanilla scents, which has adapted to peak during early morning when pollination is highest(Parra-Tabla and Vargas 2007, Parra-Tabla et al. 2009). As bees exit the flower, pollinia are glued onto the bee’s thorax. Pollination then occurs when the pollinarium-laden bee visits another flower (Malo et al. 2001). Flowers close within 24 hours of being pollinated. M. tibicinis is completely self-compatible, but requires pollen vectors for fruit to set. M. tibicinis has fairly low pollination rates and thus has limited pollination. Percent fruit set can be as low as 2.3% (Parra-Tabla and Vargas 2007, Parra-Tabla et al. 2009).

The pseudobulbs of M. tibicinis serve as permanent domatia for many different species of ants. The ants pack many of the pseudobulbs with debris, such as dead ants, insects, plant material, seeds and sand. Usually this material is packing into the apical hollow of pseudobulbs, though sometimes the entire pseudobulb can be packed. Nutrients from this organic material are absorbed by the plant, which may benefit plants, especially those in nutrient-poor habitats. Although M. tibicinis can thrive without the presence of ants, it is rare to find uninhabited plants (Rico-Gray et al. 1989). Extrafloral nectar is also produced at the tip of the developing inflorescence during the reproductive season. Ants harvest nectar from the peduncles and the flowers on M. tibicinis and defend inflorescences from intruders (Rico-Gray and Thien 1989, Malo et al. 2001).

Ant species that inhabit M. tibicinis include Brachymyrmex sp., Camponotus planatus, Camponotus abdominalis, Camponotus rectangularis, Crematogaster brevispoinosa, Monomorium ebenium, Paratrechina longicornis, Sacryptocerus maculatus. Ectatomma tuberculatum are found to seasonally inhabit M. tibicinis (Rico-Gray et al. 1989).

M. tibicinis reproduces by seed or by division. An adult plant sections off a part of itself with at least 3-4 pseudobulbs, which becomes its own plant (Parra-Tabla et al. 2011). It can take years for this new plant to being flowering. M. tibicinis has very low reproductive success and can exhibit fruit abortion (Parra-Tabla and Vargas 2007).

Myrmecophila tibicinis is an orchid in the genus Myrmecophila. A common name for the species is the trumpet player's Schomburgkia. It was first described by Bateman in 1838, as Epidendrum tibicinis, and assigned to the genus Myrmecophila by Rolfe in 1917.

It is found growing in seasonally dry deciduous forest at elevations from 300 to 600 metres in full sun on trunks and larger branches in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela and Colombia.

The pseudobulbs are large (18 in or 45 cm) and in the wild, there are always ants living in the pseudobulb, with their debris supplying additional nutrients.

It may be confused with M. brysiana but differs in having a larger magenta flower and a larger column while M. brysiana has smaller flowers which are yellow.

La flor de cacho (Myrmecophila tibicinis) es una orquídea del género Myrmecophila.​ Fue descrita por Bateman en 1838 como Epidendrum tibicinis y asignada al género​ Myrmecophila Por Rolfe en 1917.​ Habita en bosque caducifolio seco en elevaciones de 300 a 600 metros sobre el nivel del mar. Es epífita y vive sobre troncos y ramas principales en Belice, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela y Colombia.​ El pseudobulbo es grande (45 cm o 18 pulgadas) y está siempre habitado por hormigas que viven en el pseudobulbo y le aportan nutrientes adicionales con sus desechos.​​ Puede confundirse con M. brysiana pero difiere en tener una flor de color magenta más grande y una columna más grande mientras M brysiana es más pequeña, con flores amarillas.​

Myrmecophila tibicinis é uma orquídea do gênero Myrmecophila. Um nome comum para a espécie é Schomburgkia do trompetista. Foi descrito pela primeira vez por Bateman em 1838 como Epidendrum tibicinis e atribuído ao gênero Myrmecophila por Rolfe em 1917.

Sendo epífita de tamanho gigante, de temperaturas elevadas (morno para quente) às vezes litófito, de pseudobulbos grandes (18 ou 45 cm) e na natureza, há sempre formigas vivendo no pseudobulbo (mirmecofilia) de onde foi derivado o nome do gênero Myrmecophila.

As formigas associadas com Myrmecophila tibicinis acumulam em seus pseudobulbos detritos que incluem outras formigas mortas, uma variedade de insetos, pedaços de material vegetal, sementes e areia. Myrmecophila tibicinis utiliza diretamente minerais dos detritos orgânicos ("depósitos de lixo") depositados pelas formigas dentro dos pseudobulbos ocos. Uma vez que as árvores de copa aberta dos trópicos muitas vezes podem ser habitats pobres em nutrientes, uma pequena entrada de nutrientes de insetos pode ter um efeito significativo nas taxas de sobrevivência e crescimento das plantas. Myrmecophila tibicinis pode crescer muito bem na ausência de formigas, embora seja muito raro encontrar uma planta desabitada. As espécies de formigas responsáveis ​​pela formação de colônias em Myrmecophila tibicinis são as seguintes:Brachymyrmex, Camponotus planatus, Camponotus abdominalis, Camponotus rectangularis, e Crematogaster brevispinosa, Monomorium ebenium, Paratrechina longicornis, Zacryptocerus maculatus, e Ectatomma tuberculatum.

Pode ser confundido com Myrmecophila brysiana, mas difere em ter uma flor magenta maior e uma coluna maior, enquanto a Myrmecophila brysiana tem flores menores que são amarelas.

Myrmecophila tibicinis là một loài thực vật có hoa trong họ Lan. Loài này được (Bateman ex Lindl.) Rolfe mô tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1917.