Helikonija

Heliconia is a genus of flowering plants in the monotypic family Heliconiaceae. Most of the 194 known species are native to the tropical Americas, but a few are indigenous to certain islands of the western Pacific and Maluku in Indonesia. Their flowers consist of brightly colored, waxy bracts, with small true flowers peeping out from the bracts. Although Heliconia are almost exclusively pollinated by hummingbirds, some bat pollination has been found to occur.

Heliconia chartacea is a species of Heliconia native to tropical South America. It is a herbaceous plant with paired large oblong leaves like those of the banana. It can grow to 7-8 m in height, and plants can form large clumps with age. The flowering stems are pendulous. The bright pink color of the flower bracts is rare among heliconias, making it very easy to identify.

It has blue-black fruits that contain 3 very hard seeds, which are capable of extended dormancy in the soil. The fruits are eaten by a variety of birds, including tanagers and thrushes. Heliconia chartacea is a common upland species of disturbed sites, young secondary forest, and abandoned cultivation, and is often found near human habitation. It is pollinated by hermit hummingbirds, whose curved beaks are well adapted to probe the curved flowers for nectar, their main food source. Flowers pollinated by birds tend to be red and to hold a lot of nectar, and they also tend to be unscented.

These flowers are used for flower decorations and ikebana. Heliconias are grown for the florist's trade and as landscape plants. They are very drought intolerant, but can endure some soil flooding. Heliconias need an abundance of water, sunlight, and soils that are rich in humus in order to grow well.

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