Heliconia chartacea: Difference between revisions

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{{Taxobox
{{Taxobox_begin | color = lightgreen| name = ''Heliconia chartacea''}}
| color = lightgreen
{{Taxobox_image | image = [[Image:0087sexypink.JPG |250px]] | caption = Specimen at [[Asa Wright Nature Centre]], [[Tobago]]}}
| name = ''Heliconia chartacea''
{{Taxobox_begin_placement | color = lightgreen}}
| image = 0087sexypink.JPG
{{Taxobox_regnum_entry | taxon = [[Plant]]ae}}
| image_width = 250px
{{Taxobox_divisio_entry | taxon = [[Magnoliophyta]]}}
| image_caption = Specimen at [[Asa Wright Nature Centre]], [[Tobago]]
{{Taxobox_classis_entry | taxon = [[Liliopsida]]}}
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
{{Taxobox_ordo_entry | taxon = [[Zingiberales]]}}
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
{{Taxobox_familia_entry | taxon = [[Heliconia]]ceae}}
| classis = [[Liliopsida]]
{{Taxobox genus entry | taxon = ''[[Heliconia]]''}}
| ordo = [[Zingiberales]]
{{Taxobox species entry | taxon = '''''H. chartacea'''''}}
| familia = [[Heliconia]]ceae
{{Taxobox end placement}}
| genus = ''[[Heliconia]]''
{{Taxobox section binomial botany | color = lightgreen | binomial_name = Heliconia chartacea| author = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]}}
| species = '''''H. chartacea'''''
{{Taxobox end}}
| binomial = ''Heliconia chartacea''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}


'''''Heliconia chartacea''''' is a species of ''[[Heliconia]]'' native to the [[Americas|American]] tropics. It is a common upland species of disturbed sites, young secondary forest, and abandoned cultivation, and is often found near human habitation.
'''''Heliconia chartacea''''' is a species of ''[[Heliconia]]'' native to the [[Americas|American]] tropics. It is a common upland species of disturbed sites, young secondary forest, and abandoned cultivation, and is often found near human habitation.

Revision as of 04:58, 1 February 2006

Heliconia chartacea
File:0087sexypink.JPG
Specimen at Asa Wright Nature Centre, Tobago
Scientific classification
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H. chartacea
Binomial name
Heliconia chartacea

Heliconia chartacea is a species of Heliconia 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.

It is a herbaceous plant, 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 flowering stems are pendulous. The bright pink color of the flower bracts 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. 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.

Several cultivars have been selected for garden planting, including 'Sexy Pink' and 'Sexy Scarlet'.