Columnea tulae Urb.

• Title

  Columnea tulae Urb.

• Authors

  Nathaniel Lord Britton, Frances W. Horne

• Scientific Name

  Columnea tulae Urb.

• Description

  Flora Borinqueña Columnea Tulae Porto Rico Columnea Tibey parasitico Family Gesneriaceae Gesneria Family Columnea Tulae Urban, Symbolae Antillanae 1: 409. 1899. Plants which grow naturally only on trees, are of two categories (1) epiphytes, clinging to trunks or branches by their roots, which do not penetrate into the wood, and this do not obtain nutriment from the tree, this serving merely as a support, their food coming only from air and water; it is to this category that the Tibey parasitico belongs, although this Spanish name would indicate that it was in the second one -- (2) parasites, whose roots penetrate into the tissues of the tree, drawing food from them, and of this category the many kinds of the Mistletoe Family are familiar examples. The plant here illustrated is endemic in Porto Rico, but has relatives elsewhere in the West Indies; it inhabits trees in wet districts, especially in mountain forests and, apparently, must be almost continuously moist in order to exist. Columnea, dedicated by Linnaeus to the eminent Italian Pablo Colonna, who lived from 1567 to 1640, comprises some 75 species, all natives of tropical America. They are shrubs or somewhat woody plants, with opposite leaves, and red or yellow flowers, those of some kinds large and conspicuous. The calyx is 5-lobed, or 5-parted; the corolla has a straight or somewhat curved tube and a 2-lipped, spreading limb; there are 4 perfect, anther-bearing stamens borne on the base of the corolla-tube.