The creepy thing in the extremely strange and rare plants of Vietnam

The outside appearance is weird, but the inside of them is really creepy.

The anthill tree, also known as the mysterious male or the male ant tree (scientific name is Hydnophytum Formicarum), is a strange tree species appearing in the forests of the Central Highlands. This common tree species lives on large woody trees, has a large bulbous stem, rough surface, looks like a deformed tumor appearing on the trunk of the host tree.

At first glance it looks like a malformed tumor appearing on the trunk of the host plant.

The outside form of this plant is weird, but the inside of them is truly creepy. Breaking down that 'tumor', those who are 'allergic' to insects will have to face the sight of tens of thousands of ants and ant larvae crawling in the winding tunnels. Looking closely at the surface of the "tumor", you can see the cave entrances, which are the entrances to the ants' nests.

The anthill is actually an anthill in its own right. This is a rare form of symbiosis between plants and insects to survive in nature.

In a relationship, the tree provides a 'fortress' of shelter and water for the ants, while the ants release humus and excrement as a source of nourishment for the plant, as well as protecting the plant from the threat of uninvited visitors.

From a young age, the anthill tree has a large body. However, at this time, they have not "shaken hands" with the ants, but only live on nutrients on the host plant. When growing up, the source of nutrients is increasingly depleted, in the trunk of the tree people gradually form holes, and at the same time secrete substances that attract ants to nest. The symbiosis between ants and trees began from that moment.

Ethnic people in the Central Highlands have used anthill as a medicine.

The special bond between the nest tree and the ant species is the result of a long evolutionary process, a testament to the miracle of nature.

For hundreds of years, ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands have used anthill as a remedy for many different diseases. Internationally, this is a plant that is popular with bonsai collectors because of its strange appearance.

In Vietnam, the number of anthill trees in the wild has decreased due to deforestation, overexploitation, and slow growth of this species. In the Red Book of Vietnam, they are listed as endangered.