A genus of large tropical trees with hollow stems that provide shelter for ant colonies, found in Central and South America.
Named after Cecrops, a legendary king of Athens in Greek mythology. The tree was named by botanists who associated it with the mythological figure.
The cecropia tree is nature's apartment building—ants live inside its hollow stem and in return they act as security, protecting the tree from herbivores; it's one of the most famous examples of mutualism in the rainforest.
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