Heliconia bihai
Encyclopedia
Heliconia bihai of the Heliconiaceae family is an erect herb
typically growing taller than 1.5 m. It is native to South America
, specially Brazil
and Guianas.
in hot regions with a humid climate (USDA zone
9-11), and this plant is typically pollinated by bat
s and hummingbird
s.
This upward facing flower of the Heliconia
family, which acts as a cup, is a natural source of rain water for birds and insects.
Political Party of Trinidad and Tobago
, as well as by the Martinique Progressive Party (Parti Progressiste Martiniquais) of the French Overseas Department of Martinique, in the West Indies.
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
typically growing taller than 1.5 m. It is native to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, specially Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Guianas.
Uses
This plant is used as an ornamental plantOrnamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
in hot regions with a humid climate (USDA zone
Hardiness zone
A hardiness zone is a geographically defined area in which a specific category of plant life is capable of growing, as defined by climatic conditions, including its ability to withstand the minimum temperatures of the zone...
9-11), and this plant is typically pollinated by bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s and hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
s.
This upward facing flower of the Heliconia
Heliconia
Heliconia, derived from the Greek word helikonios, is a genus of about 100 to 200 species of flowering plants native to the tropical Americas and the Pacific Ocean islands west to Indonesia. Many species of Heliconia are found in rainforests or tropical wet forests of these regions...
family, which acts as a cup, is a natural source of rain water for birds and insects.
Use as a symbol
This plant is used as the symbol to represent the People's National MovementPeople's National Movement
The People's National Movement is the present-day opposition political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Founded in 1955 by Eric Williams, it won the 1956 General Elections and went on to hold power for an unbroken 30 years. After the death of Williams in 1981 George Chambers led the party...
Political Party of Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
, as well as by the Martinique Progressive Party (Parti Progressiste Martiniquais) of the French Overseas Department of Martinique, in the West Indies.