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Cuphea hyssopifolia
| Family Name: | Lythraceae |
| Synonyms: | Cuphea rivularis, Ammania hyssopifolia |
| Common Name: | False Heather, Hawaiian Heather, Elfin Herb, Elfin Plant, Cuphea, Clammy Cuphea, Corail, Tarweed, Mexican Heather, Heather, 细叶雪茄花, 满天星 |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Shrub |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Maximum Height | 0.6 m |
| Maximum Plant Spread / Crown Width | 0.6 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | An erect to spreading, low-branching, compact, free-flowering subshrub with finely-textured leaves. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves simple, subsessile (with slight stalks), opposite, pinnately-veined, oblong, sometimes elliptic, glossy, medium to dark green, 10 to 30 mm long, 1.5 to 4 mm wide, with pubescent (covered with hair) undersides. |
| Stems | Multi-branched, puberulent (covered with soft, fine hairs) and reddish strigose (appressed stiff hairs). |
| Flowers | Flowers solitary in the axils of new leaves, trumpet-shaped, pedicels 2 to 7 mm long; petals 6, purple, 3 to 3.5 mm long; sepals crinkled, rarely absent; calyx 5 to 8 mm long; floral tube pale green, sometimes turning purplish toward apex, glabrous or slightly pubescent. |
| Fruit | Fruit capsules dehiscent, leathery or berrylike, oblong-ovoid, 1-celled, up to 3.5 mm long, containing numerous seeds; seeds reddish brown, suborbicular, 1 to 1.5mm in diameter, pitted. |
| Cultivation | Tolerates many soil types but requires ample moisture to become established in full sun or semi-shade. Prefers well-drained fertile soils with frequent light fertilizations. When plant becomes scraggly, tips can be pinched to incorporate vigour and to attain lush growth and more blooms. Easily propagated by softwood cuttings. Obtaining new plants from seed is difficult due to very poor germination rate. Plant also reproduces by layering, whereby the horizontal branches touch the ground and set roots. |
| Etymology | The genus epithet ‘Cuphea’ comes from the Greek word kyphos, means curved, in reference to the shape of the seed capsules. The species epithet ‘hyssopifolia’ refers to the shape of the leaves which are like those of the herb Hyssop. Not a true heather, the leaves resemble to those of Scotch heather (Calluna vulgaris), thus derived its common name false heather. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers |
|---|
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Bee-Attracting |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
|---|---|
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 4.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Dicot) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Purple |
|---|
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 601 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 1896 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
