Viburnum tinus is among stars of the Mediterranean spring. Its dark green leaves contrast fragrant pentamerous flowers in white or pale pink, evolving into dark blue fruit resembling small pearls. Yet this obvious picture from maquis has its invisible side .It is called domatium, after Latin word domus, for home. Domatia are microscopically small chambers at the under sides of the evergreen leaves. Plant grows domatia to host mites. In this way Viburnum tinus can be seen as a botanical skyscraper with many tiny apartments for arthropod neighbors. Imagine a little mite calling her friends to come over for a party at her condo! I am kidding, it only fascinates me to recognize there is another life underlying the botanical beauty of the plant we can see with our eyes. It is like a parallel world. Only the question remains, are the mites, or are we , at the right side?
Are the mites a determent to the beautiful plant?
LikeLike
No, this is mutualism- a win-win for them both, mites get shelter and plant is protected as they eat plant predators
LikeLike
Great! Good mites are nice to know of. 😉
LikeLike
You newer know…..;)
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Old School Garden.
LikeLike
Thank you for the reblog, but I must admit you have a really nice Viburnum tinus in your garden 😉
LikeLike
Oh thanks Tamara, yes it and soem others around the garden are looking good. I hope to get out tomorrow for a couple of hours to continue some light digging and weeding. I hope you have a good week 🙂
LikeLike
End of the good week almost here( spring is in the air) ,must have been for good wishes 😉 Hope to have some time for my garden that would need a lot of time;) I hope you have a great weekend with nice spring weather 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks Tamara- it has been sunny and warmer here too and more expected next week. I cut the grass in my garden for the first time yesterday! I wish you an enjoyable weekend too 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks!
LikeLike
Presumably the mites do something helpful to the plant – or do the chambers have another purpose for the plant?
LikeLike
The plant offers shelter to the predaceous and microbivorous mites, those consume plant enemies-
this relationship is called mutualism (both sides get benefits) which is the opposite of parasitism (one side gets benefits on the cost of the other side)
LikeLike
A very good question!
LikeLike
But hard to reply 😉
LikeLike
Agreed.
LikeLike