A chamber produced by a plant in which insects, mites, or fungi live. It typically takes the form of a hollow under a leaf, or a system of tunnels in a thorn or stem. Ideally a domatium is a mutualisticadaptation, not to be confused with simple damage by a borer or gall-forming pest, though commonly there is no sharp distinction between domatia of value to the plant and galls caused by harmful aphids and mites for example.
Origin
New Latin, from Greek dōmation small house, bedroom, diminutive of dōma house; akin to Greek domos house.
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