Cuphea ignea

Cuphea ignea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Lythraceae
Genus:	Cuphea
Species:	C. ignea
Binomial name
Cuphea ignea A. DC.

Cuphea ignea (cigar plant, cigar flower,^[1] firecracker plant, or Mexican cigar) is a species of flowering plant in the genus Cuphea of the family Lythraceae. It is a tropical, densely branched evergreen subshrub.^[2] This species, native to Mexico and the West Indies, produces small, tubular, bright red to orange flowers. Each flower is tipped with a thin, white rim and two small purple-black petals. The flower is said to resemble a lit cigar, hence the name. The leaves are small, elliptical and of a bright green colour. It grows to about 60 cm (24 in).^[3] The name ignea comes from the Latin for "fire".^[4]

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.^[5]

References

Cuphea ignea flowers resemble a tiny burning cigar, hence the common name "cigar plant"

1. "ITIS Standard Report Page: Cuphea ignea". Itis.gov. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
2. "Cuphea ignea". Floridata. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
3. "Cuphea ignea {Lythraceae} Cigar Flower, Cigarette Plant". Titanarum.uconn.edu. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
4. "Cuphea ignea". Mobot.org. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
5. "Cuphea ignea". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 22 July 2013.

• Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe. Ghent (Gand) 5: t. 500c. 1849
• USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Data from 07-Oct-06].

External links

• USDA profile
• USDA germplasm
• HEAR information