Stats

Lifespan

Perennial

Size

Medium

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Tropical rainforest

Range

Southeast Asia

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Defense

Toxins

Status

Uncommon

About

This spiral-stemmed plant grows in the humid shade of tropical forest floors. Its bright red bracts contain a viscous fluid that protects developing flower buds from insects.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Liliopsida

Order

Zingiberales

Family

Costaceae

Genus

Hellenia

Species

Hellenia speciosa