Data from: Why are flowers sweeter than fruits or buds? Variation in extrafloral nectar secretion throughout the floral ontogeny of a myrmecophile

Extrafloral nectar provision during floral ontogeny in ant-plants has not been widely studied. Extrafloral nectar secretion differed between leaves associated with buds, flowers, and fruits, and peaked during anthesis when pollinators were present. This ontogenetic variation may result from mixed selective pressures involving strategies for defense and mutualist management.

目前针对蚁栖植物（ant-plants）花发育（floral ontogeny）阶段的花外蜜（extrafloral nectar）供给情况，尚未得到广泛研究。与芽、花及果实相关联的叶片，其花外蜜分泌量存在差异，并在存在传粉者的开花期（anthesis）达到峰值。这种发育变异（ontogenetic variation）可能由兼具防卫策略与共生伙伴管理策略的混合选择压力（selective pressures）所导致。