Wednesday 16 January 2013

Weird and Wonderful: The Hooker's Lips plant


Meet Psychotria elata, also known as the ‘hooker’s lips’, ‘hot Lips’ and even ‘Mick Jagger’s lips’ plant. This is not fake, it is a genine plant that can be found in the understory of tropical forests in places such as Costa Rica and Colombia. The vibrant colourful red flowers attract pollinators, including hummingbirds and butterflies. P. Elata acts as a host plant for the golden silkmoth (Xlophanes adalia).