About Heliconia chartacea Lane ex Barreiros
Heliconia chartacea Lane ex Barreiros is a herbaceous plant that produces paired large oblong leaves similar to banana leaves. It reaches heights of 7 to 8 meters, and forms large clumps as it ages. Its flowering stems are pendulous. The bright pink color of its flower bracts is rare among heliconias, making the species very easy to identify. The large, showy, hanging inflorescences get their noticeable pink color from their waxy modified leaves, called bracts. The small green true flowers are half-hidden inside these bracts. This species produces blue-black fruits that hold 3 very hard seeds; these seeds can remain dormant in soil for long periods. A variety of birds, including tanagers and thrushes, eat its fruits. In terms of ecology, Heliconia chartacea is a common upland species that grows in disturbed sites, young secondary forest, and abandoned cultivation, and it is often found near human habitation. It is pollinated by hermit hummingbirds, whose curved beaks are well adapted to probe the curved flowers to access nectar, the hummingbirds' main food source. Some hermit species, such as the rufous-breasted hermit, also use this plant for nesting. Several cultivars of Heliconia chartacea have been selected for garden planting, including 'Sexy Pink' and 'Sexy Scarlet'. The flowers of this species are widely used in flower decorations and Ikebana.
