Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Hamelia patens
Species of flowering plant From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
Hamelia patens is a large evergreen perennial shrub or small tree in the family Rubiaceae, that is native to the American subtropics and tropics. Its range extends from Florida in the southern United States to as far south as Argentina.[4] Common names include firebush, hummingbird bush, scarlet bush, and redhead. In Belize, this plant's Mayan name is Ix Canaan and is also known as "Guardian of the Forest".
_-_Flickr_-_Alejandro_Bayer_(2).jpg)
Remove ads
Remove ads
Growth
Firebush has orangish-red tubular flowers, which recruit hummingbirds and butterflies for pollination.[5] The corollas vary greatly in length, making them attractive to a wide range of pollinators.[6] The fruit is a small dark red berry, turning black at maturity.[7]
Despite its somewhat scraggy appearance, this is a valuable garden tree in warmer climates and even in temperate ones, as long as the soil remains above freezing.[5]
Remove ads
Uses
Hummingbirds are attracted by its flowers and other birds feed on the fruit, both of which will also forage on small insects found in the vicinity, helping to keep down pests. These flowers are also fed on by butterflies, such as the statira sulphur (Aphrissa statira), which are attracted to red flowering plants. The fruits have a refreshing, acidic taste and are also edible by humans; in Mexico, they are made into a fermented drink.
Folk medicine
The plants are used in folk medicine for a range of ailments.[8]
Remove ads
Chemical constituents
A number of active compounds have been found in firebush, including maruquine, isomaruquine, pteropodine, isopteropodine, palmirine, rumberine, seneciophylline and stigmast-4-ene-3,6-dione.[9] The bark contains significant amounts of tannins.
Gallery
Inflorescence
Flowers
Foliage
Pollen of Hamelia patens (Size: ~38 microns)
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads