Figure 17.16 Ants eating elaiosomes. Some forest herbs produce seeds with a packet of lipid- and protein-rich tissue attached that is known as an elaiosome. Shown here are seeds of the bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). The ants carry these seeds to their nest, consume the elaiosome, and discard the seeds outside of the nest where they can subsequently germinate.

Photo by Alexander Wild.