Lophospermum erubescens
| Lophospermum erubescens | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Plantaginaceae |
| Genus: | Lophospermum |
| Species: | L. erubescens |
| Binomial name | |
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Lophospermum erubescens D.Don |
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| Synonyms | |
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Lophospermum erubescens, known as Mexican twist or creeping gloxinia, is a climbing or sprawling herbaceous perennial, native to the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains of Mexico, where it is found along forest margins or canyon walls. It climbs by means of twining leaf stalks. Wild plants have pink and white tubular flowers, although other colours are found in cultivation. It has been cultivated as an ornamental plant since at least 1830. Although not frost-hardy, it will survive if its base and roots are protected from freezing in the winter. It has escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, including Hawaii and eastern Australia.
Lophospermum erubescens has been confused with Lophospermum scandens, partly because the earliest illustration of L. erubescens was labelled as L. scandens. Among other differences, L. erubescens has a more climbing habit than L. scandens, with many twining leaf stalks; also the sepals are broader and joined at the base for only 2–3 mm (0.08–0.12 in) rather than 7–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in).
Lophospermum erubescens is a climbing herbaceous perennial with fibrous roots. It climbs by means of twining leaf stalks (petioles) rather than tendrils or twining stems. The long stems are branched, becoming woody at the base with age and developing a woody caudex – a swollen, bulb-like structure at the base of the stem. The leaves have petioles 30–65 mm (1.2–2.6 in) long and are triangular or heart-shaped, 45–153 mm (1.8–6.0 in) long by 45–50 mm (1.8–2.0 in) wide, with a pointed apex and toothed edges (dentate or crenate). The leaves and stems are sparsely covered with short hairs.
Lophospermum erubescens flowers and fruits over a long period, April to the following January in its native habitat. The flowers are borne singly. The calyx has sepals that are broadly ovate, 19–26 mm (0.7–1.0 in) long and 9–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide at the base, joined only for the first 2–3 mm (0.08–0.12 in). The sepal margins curve outwards along about a third or half their length. The flowers have five petals, joined at the base to form a tube 48–63 mm (1.9–2.5 in) long, whitish at the base and pinkish-red to red towards the end. The free lobes at the end of the petals bend outwards. There are two prominent folds (plicae) running along the length of the base of the flower tube, bearing numerous yellow hairs 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) long. There are four fertile stamens, the upper two slightly longer than the lower two, and one rudimentary infertile stamen. The style has a forked stigma.
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