CUPHEA

Cuphea P. Browne, Nat. Hist. Jamaica: 216. 1756; Koehne, E. P. IV. 216: 80. 1903; Verdcourt in Polhill, Fl. Tropical E. Africa. ed. 1. 6. 1994.

Herbs, subshrubs or shrubs. Leaves opposite or rarely in whorls of 3-5, very rarely alternate. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 6-merous, usually solitary at the upper nodes or forming+/- one-sided usually simple raceme-like inflorescence, flowers alternate, decussate or rarely whorled, interpetiolar, axillary or from the internodes, pedicels joined to them; bracteoles 2 or lacking. Calyx tubular, often brightly coloured and usually +/- irregular, gibbous or +/- spurred, sac containing a nectary; lobes short. Petals usually 6, rarely 2 or 4 or missing, often small or vestigial. Stamens 11, rarely 6 or 9, very rarely 4. Ovary sessile, disc present or rarely +- absent; ovules numerous or (2-) 3-few. Capsule splitting with the placenta finally reflexed. Seeds flattened, biconvex, often narrowly winged.

256 species

Cuphea hyssopifolia

Cuphea hyssopifolia Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 6: 199. 1824; C. hyssopifolia var. brachyphylla Griseb., Abh. Konigl. Ges. Wiss. Gottingen 19: 142. 1874; C. hyssopifolia f. subrevoluta Koehne, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 2: 153. 1881; Parsonsia hyssopifolia (Kunth) Standl., Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 23 (4): 1018. 1924.

Evergreen perennial subshrub, up to 60 cm long, erect to spreading, low branching; stem multibranched, reddish-purple, hispid. Leaves arranged alternately the length of stem giving the plant fern-like appearance; leaves simple, subsessile, opposite, exstipulate, pinnately- veined, 10-30 mm x 1.5-4 mm, oblong, elliptic to lanceolate, dark green, glossy; apex acute, base cuneate, margin entire; hispidulous beneath; petiole 1 mm long, pubescent. Flowers solitary in axils of new leaves, trumpet-shaped, bisexual, zygomorphic, 6-merous, perigynous, ca. 1 cm long and 1 cm across; pedicels 2-7 mm long, pubescent; bracteoles ca. 1.5 mm long, ovate, inserted just at base of flower. Calyx 5-8 mm long; tube (hypanthium) pale green, shortly gibbous at base, 12-ribbed, ribs green; shortly hispid without, densely villous within in upper region near lobes; lobes 6, short ca. 1 mm long, triangular. Petals 6, inserted at the rim of hypanthium, alternate to calyx lobes, lavender to purple, 3.5-4.2 mm x ca. 2 mm, ovate-elliptic, crinkled, with a short claw. Stamens 11, inserted halfway down in calyx tube (hypanthium), filaments 1-1.5 mm long, oblong, pubescent; anthers ca. 0.5 mm long. Pistil included; ovary elongated, tubular, 2-2.2 mm long, 1-locular with one free central placenta, ovules few (usually 6); style nearly equal to ovary (1.8-2.0 mm), pubescent; stigma minute, capitate; one nectary gland at the base of ovary.

Fruit capsule, dehiscent, leathery or berry-like, oblong-ovoid, 1-celled, up to 3.5 mm long, seeds reddish brown, suborbicular, 1-1.5 mm in diameter, pitted. (Fruits not observed)

Flowering and Fruiting: Almost throughout the year
Common Names: False Heather, Mexican Heather, Mexican False Heather, Hawaiian Heather