Heliconia chartacea: Difference between revisions
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{{Taxobox_begin | color = lightgreen| name = }} |
{{Taxobox_begin | color = lightgreen| name = Sexy Pink}} |
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{{Taxobox_image | image = [[Image:0087sexypink.JPG |250px]] | caption = |
{{Taxobox_image | image = [[Image:0087sexypink.JPG |250px]] | caption = Specimen at [[Asa Wright Nature Centre]], [[Tobago]]}} |
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{{Taxobox_regnum_entry | taxon = [[Plant]]ae}} |
{{Taxobox_regnum_entry | taxon = [[Plant]]ae}} |
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Revision as of 15:49, 21 October 2005
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Sexy Pink is a Heliconia , H. chartacea, which is native to the American tropics. It is a common upland species of disturbed sites, young secondary forest, and abandoned cultivation, and is often found near human habitation.
Sexy Pink, like other Heliconias is herbaceous, with paired large oblong leaves like those of its relative the banana- It can can grow to 7-8 m in height, and plants can form large clumps with age..
The bright pink color is rare among heliconias, making it very easy to identify. The conspicuous pink part of the large and showy hanging inflorescences is actually the waxy bracts, (modified leaves), with the small green true flowers half-hidden inside. It is pollinated by hermit hummingbirds, , whose curved beaks are well adapted to probe the curved flowers for nectar, their main food source. and some species such as the Rufous-breasted Hermit, also use the plant for nesting.
It has blue-black fruits that contain 3 very hard seeds, which are capable of extended dormancy in the soil. The fruits are eaten by a variety of birds, including tanagers and thrushes.