Heliconia tortuosa

Heliconia tortuosa
H. tortuosa in Monteverde, Costa Rica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Zingiberales
Family: Heliconiaceae
Genus: Heliconia
Species:
H. tortuosa
Binomial name
Heliconia tortuosa
Synonyms[1]

Bihai tortuosa (Griggs) Griggs

Heliconia tortuosa is an herbaceous tropical perennial commonly found in secondary succession in montane forests in Central America and southern Mexico (Chiapas and Tabasco).[2] It is moderately shade tolerant. It has also been widely cultivated as a garden plant for its showy, usually twisted (hence the name tortuosa) inflorescences.[3][4]

Heliconia tortuosa is selective with its pollination, allowing only green hermit and violet sabrewing hummingbirds to pollinate its flowers.[5]

References

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  1. ^ The Plant List, Heliconia tortuosa
  2. ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Heliconia tortuosa
  3. ^ Andersson, L. 1992. Revision of Heliconia subgen. Taeniostrobus and subgen. Heliconia (Musaceae-Heliconioideae). Opera Botanica 111: 1–98.
  4. ^ Griggs, Robert Fiske. 1903. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 30(12): 650, t. 29, f. 1. Heliconia tortuosa
  5. ^ Betts, Matthew G.; Hadley, Adam S. & Kress, W. John (10 February 2015). "Pollinator recognition by a keystone tropical plant". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 112 (11): 3433–3438. Bibcode:2015PNAS..112.3433B. doi:10.1073/pnas.1419522112. PMC 4371984. PMID 25733902.
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