Hamelia patens
- "Firebush" redirects here. It is also a slang which refers to the pubic hair of red-haired women.
| Hamelia patens | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Habitus | |
| Conservation status | |
|
Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
|
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Rubiaceae |
| Genus: | Hamelia |
| Species: | H. patens |
| Binomial name | |
| Hamelia patens Jacq., 1763 |
|
| Synonyms | |
Hamelia patens is a large perennial shrub or small tree in the coffee 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.[1] Common names include Firebush, Hummingbird Bush, Scarlet Bush and Redhead.
Contents |
[edit] Growth
Firebush has orangish-red tubular flowers, which recruit hummingbirds and butterflies for pollination.[2] The corollas vary greatly length, making them attractive to a wide range of pollinators.[3] The fruit is a small dark red berry, turning black at maturity.[4]
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.[2]
[edit] 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. The fruit have a refreshing, acidic taste and are also edible by humans; in Mexico, they are made into a fermented drink.
[edit] Medicinal uses
Also, the plants are used in folk medicine against a range of ailments. 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.[5] The bark contains significant amounts of tannins. No scientific study of the medical usefulness of Hamelia patens has been conducted.
[edit] Gallery
[edit] Footnotes
[edit] References
- Fenster, Charles B. (1991): Selection on Floral Morphology by Hummingbirds. Biotropica 23(1): 98-101. doi:10.2307/2388696 (First page image)
- Francis, John K. (undated) http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Hamelia%20patens.pdf Hamelia patens.pdf. Retrieved 2009-AUG-25.
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2006): Germplasm Resources Information Network - Hamelia patens. Version of 2006-AUG-04. Retrieved 2009-DEC-17.
- Welch, Willam C. (2003): Horticulture Update - Firebush (Hamelia patens). Version of June 2003. Retrieved 2009-AUG-25.
[edit] External links
Media related to Hamelia patens at Wikimedia Commons 
Data related to Hamelia patens at Wikispecies
