Cuphea ignea

Cuphea ignea
Cuphea ignea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Myrtales
Family: Lythraceae
Genus: Cuphea
Species: C. ignea
Binomial name
Cuphea ignea
A. DC.

Cuphea ignea, also known as the Cigar plant, Cigar flower,[1] Firecracker plant, or Mexican Cigar, is a tropical, perennial, densely-branched evergreen sub-shrub.[2] This species, native to Mexico and the West Indies, produces small, tubular, bright red to orange flowers. Each flower is tipped with a thin, white rim and two small purple-black petals. The flowers are considered to resemble a lit cigar, hence the name. The leaves are small, elliptical and of a bright green colour. This bushy shrub grows to about 60 cm.[3] The name 'ignea' comes from the Latin word for fire.[4]

References

Cuphea ignea flowers resemble a tiny burning cigar, hence the common name "cigar plant"
  1. ^ "ITIS Standard Report Page: Cuphea ignea". Itis.gov. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=Scientific_Name&search_kingdom=every&search_span=exactly_for&categories=All&source=html&search_credRating=All&search_value=Cuphea%20ignea. Retrieved 2010-07-30. 
  2. ^ "Cuphea ignea". Floridata. http://www.floridata.com/ref/C/cuph_ign.cfm. Retrieved 2010-07-30. 
  3. ^ "Cuphea ignea {Lythraceae} Cigar Flower, Cigarette Plant". Titanarum.uconn.edu. http://titanarum.uconn.edu/198500176.html. Retrieved 2010-07-30. 
  4. ^ "Cuphea ignea". Mobot.org. http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/plant.asp?code=C516. Retrieved 2010-07-30. 
  • Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe. Ghent (Gand) 5: t. 500c. 1849
  • USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Data from 07-Oct-06].

External links

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