Herbivory on giant leaves
| Title | Info |
|---|---|
| Common name | Umbrella plant, Dos amigos |
| Scientific name | Gunnera insignis |
| Taxonomic group | Gunneraceae |
| Source | Dan L. Perlman |
| Nutrient cycles | Carbon |
| Ecological interactions | Herbivory |
| Lessons | Herbivory |
| Date | 1988 |
| Location | Monteverde,Costa Rica,North America |
Herbivory on giant Gunnera leaves, Costa Rica. The massive leaves of the Gunnera plant can be well over 1 yd (1 m) across, and they are tough and stiff enough that they can be used as umbrellas in a tropical downpour. In fact, the leaves are so large that two friends can fit under a single leaf, hence the plant's common name, "dos amigos." The leaf material itself is coarse and rough, and it must be very difficult to make a meal of it. One biologist theorized that leaf cutter ants may have been responsible for the herbivory on the leaves on the right.
