Are ants always mutualistic? Influence of ants and variation in flowerets of Clerodendrum chinense.

Ants are the major mutualists in the plant -ant interaction system playing a major role in the survival of plants by deterring herbivore and increasing plant health and fitness of the plant. To get better insights into the ant-plant interaction system, Clerodendrum chinense occupied by Crematogaster roghenoferi were observed for six months to assess the influence of presence and absence of ants on the flowerets blooming. In a total of (n=34) flowerets bunch, 17 were used as control and 17 experimentation that were treated with ant barrier glue to restrict the ants visitation to the flowerets bunch. By using the Students t-test, our study revealed the facultative behaviour of ants. Citing the equal presence of herbivores in both the control and experimented sets, and decreased floweret blooming in anting-continued (control) whereas increased floweret blooming in de-anted (experimented). The present study has shown the facultative interaction of C. roghenoferi with C. chinense and its effects on the reproductive structures (flowerets) of the shrub. This study makes a clear case stating that not always an interaction between ant and plant is the mutualism.