One species of these plants releases trans-2-hexenal as part of an alarm response triggered by leaf damage. Dependence on extrafloral nectar from one species of these plants is induced by a chitinase, which inhibits the ability of a different species’s invertase to break down sucrose. The primarily herbivorous jumping spider Bagheera kiplingi eats nutrient-rich Beltian bodies made by these plants, which comprise the second-largest genus of the pea family, Fabaceae. One species of these plants engages in mutualism by using swollen thorns to house territorial (*) ants. Gum arabic is secreted by these plants, which release tannins to thwart the prehensile blue tongues of reticulated giraffes. For 10 points, name these plants whose large-canopied “umbrella thorn” variety is common on the African savannah. ■END■
ANSWER: acacias [or wattles or thorn trees; accept specific species such as the bullhorn acacia or umbrella thorn acacia; accept Vachellia; accept Mimosa; accept Senegalia; accept babul; accept gum arabic trees until read] (The bullhorn acacia not only inhibits Pseudomyrmex ants’ invertase, but also supplements its nectar with its own invertase to force the ants to rely solely on it, causing them to be hyperaggressive toward perceived threats.)
<KT, Biology>
= Average correct buzz position