Melampyrum pratense

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Melampyrum pratense

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Orobanchaceae
Genus: Melampyrum
Species: M. pratense
Binomial name
Melampyrum pratense
L.
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Melampyrum pratense or Common Cow-wheat is a plant species of the genus Melampyrum. This plant has an interesting relationship with ants. It produces a sugary liquid from small glands under its petals, which wood ants feed on. The seeds of this plant have evolved to mimic the cocoons of wood ants, which are crucial in their dispersal, transporting the seeds into their nests.[1]

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