View source for Phil Bendle Collection:Heterocentron elegans (Spanish Shawl)

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'''Kingdom:''' Plantae<br />
'''Division:''' Tracheophyta<br />
'''Class''': Magnoliopsida<br />
'''Order:''' Myrtenordningen<br />
'''Family:''' Melastomataceae<br />
'''Genus''': Heterocentron<br />
'''Species''': H. elegans<br />
'''Binomial name:''' Heterocentron elegans<br />
'''Synonyms''': Centradenia floribunda, Schizocentron elegans, Rhexia elegans, Monochaetum guatemalense, Heeria elegans<br />
'''Common name''': Spanish Shawl

Heterocentron elegans is a tropical perennial subshrub native to the montane regions of Central America. It is a sprawling plant with small, dark green, oblong leaves with varying amounts of tiny hairs. It has a bright magenta or purple-pink, four-petalled flowers. It grows to a height of 5cm and has an indefinite spread.

In New Zealand, Heterocentron elegans is listed in the in the Global Compendium of Weeds, as a casual alien, naturalised weed.

The photos below are of it growing roadside bank in New Plymouth.<br />
[http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0008/5303/Heterocentron_elegans__Spanish_Shawl.JPG]

Growing in full sunshine<br />
[http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0008/5308/Heterocentron_elegans__Spanish_Shawl-002.JPG]

Growing on a vertical bank in the shade.<br />
[http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0013/4188/1-Heterocentron_elegans__Spanish_Shawl_-001.JPG]

[http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0013/4183/1-Heterocentron_elegans__Spanish_Shawl_-002.JPG]

Closed flower with its distinctive spiky receptacle.<br />
[http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0008/5313/Heterocentron_elegans__Spanish_Shawl-003.JPG]  

 

Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/%20 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ ]










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[[Category:Weeds]]
[[Category:Phil Bendle Collection]]