Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition


Click/tap on images to enlarge

Glands present on leaves or stems

Glands (or extra-floral nectaries) are small organs that often produce sugar-rich nectar, usually to attract insects. 

Glands may be found in various locations on the leaf surface, margins, petiole or nearby stems, but not internally (eg. oil glands of Myrtaceae, Rutaceae). They may be variously shaped (eg. flat, rounded, cup-like or pad-like), sessile or stalked.

This feature includes the flat, matted glands that don't exude nectar eg. Macaranga, Mallotus and Diospyros.

Copyright © CSIRO 2020, all rights reserved.