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Warszewiczia coccinea (Vahl) Klotzsch
| Family Name: | Rubiaceae |
| Common Name: | Pride of Trinidad, Wild Poinsettia |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
| Maximum Height | 15 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Central and South America. |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a tree or shrub, up to 15 m tall. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves are oblong-elliptic shaped (5 – 60 cm long and 10 – 23 cm wide) and oppositely arranged. Short golden hairs are present on the veins, on the underside of the leaves. Stipules is narrowly triangular-oblong shaped (about 2.5 cm long) and persistent. Petiole is about 2.5 cm long. |
| Flowers | Inflorescence is showy (about 80 cm long and 3 cm wide) and occurs terminally. It comprises of many densely congested flower clusters. One flower in each cluster usually bears an enlarged leaf-like sepal which is red and showy (12 cm long and 4 cm wide). Flower has 5 small yellow-orange petals (0.6 – 0.8 cm long), and 2 exserted stigma. |
| Fruit | Fruit is a capsule, which is subglobose (about 0.5 cm wide), 2-valued and splits open when matured. Seeds are numerous and small (about 0.1 mm long). |
| Habitat | It grows in moist forest, up to 2000 m altitude. |
| Etymology | The genus commemorates Jósef Warszewicz (1812 – 1866), a Polish-Lithuanian plant collector and supervisor of the Krakow Botanic Gardens, who first discovered it in Central America. The specific epithet means red, referring to the colour of the attractive leaf-like bracts. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Others: It is the national flower of Trinidad and Tobago. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Lots of Water, Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
|---|
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Red, Orange |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 32546 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 6958 |
| 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. |