Psychotria elata

Psychotria elata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Eudicots
Clade:Asterids
Order:Gentianales
Family:Rubiaceae
Genus:Psychotria
Species: P. elata
Binomial name
Psychotria elata
(Sw.) Hammel

Psychotria elata, common names hot lips[1], hooker's lips or Mick Jagger's lips, is a tropical plant that originally grows and can be found in rain forests in Central and South American countries such as Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, and Colombia. It can adapt to temperate climates. Its bracts are red and this is the unique point of this plant.

Physical characteristics

Hooker's lips is an understory shrub because it is categorized as a type of understory layer tree in rain forest. This species infrequently can grow higher than 3 meters.

The most significant feature of the hooker's lips is its red "lips". Those are actually bracts which are temporary before the mature flower develops. Its unique shape attracts humming birds and butterflies, which are flower's primary pollinators.

The bracts are represented as red, the flowers are white, and the flowers usually bloom from December to March.

The scent of the flowers is quite fragrant, and the colors of berries are dark blue and black. The size of berries is rather small.

Conservation status

Hooker's lips has become endangered due to deforestation. The number of this species is quickly decreasing and harshly diminished by climate changes and loss of habitat.

Usage

Bark and leaves of hooker's lips are used as medicine by local dwellers. Those can be used to cure earaches, coughs and prickly heat on skin. In addition, the Kuna Indians, indigenous people in Panama and Colombia have habitually used this flower to cure the dyspnea.

Red "lips" of the flower

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References

  1. ↑ Huettmann, Falk (2015). Central American Biodiversity. New York, NY: Springer New York. pp. 419–433. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-2208-6_17. ISBN 9781493922079.
  • "Psychotria elata - Hot Lips | World of Flowering Plants". World of Flowering Plants. 2014-02-20. Retrieved 2018-05-13.
  • "จากยอดไม้สู่พื้นป่า". Energy Concept Group Co., Ltd. 2016-05-07. Retrieved 2018-05-13.
  • "Friday Fellow: Hooker's Lips". Earthling Nature. 2017-04-28. Retrieved 2018-05-13.
  • https://www.ourbreathingplanet.com/hookers-lips/
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