cigar flower

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• cigar flower
• firecracker plant
• Mexican cigarplant
• cigar-flower
• cigar-flower-plant
• firecracker-bush
• firecracker-plant
• Cigar
• Cigar plant
• Cigarette Bush
• Mexican Cigar

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Parsonsia liebmannii
• Cuphea watsonii
• Cuphea liebmannii
• Parsonsia ignea
• Parsonsia watsonii

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Cuphea ignea, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is further classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae within the order Myrtales. Finally, it is a member of the Lythraceae family and falls under the genus Cuphea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide-reaching geographical distribution across several distinct regions of the globe. In Northern Europe, its presence can be noted in Great Britain. It is also found in the Western Indian Ocean, specifically on the island of Réunion. Within the Malesia region, the species is distributed across both Jawa and Malaya. Finally, its range extends to the North-Central Pacific, where it grows in Hawaii.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cuphea ignea is characterized by its specialized niche within high-altitude environments, where it thrives within a specific vertical distribution. This species is predominantly found in montane zones, maintaining a strictly defined elevational range that spans from a minimum of 2000 m AMSL to a maximum of 2400 m AMSL. This narrow altitudinal belt suggests a high degree of adaptation to the unique climatic conditions, temperature gradients, and atmospheric pressures found in these specific highland strata. Such ecological constraints indicate that the plant is likely sensitive to the environmental shifts associated with lower or higher elevations, making its habitat stability crucial for its continued presence in the landscape.

Elevational range max:

2400 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

2000 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Cuphea ignea is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, though its growth patterns can exhibit variability depending on environmental conditions and management. As a perennial, it maintains a long-term presence in its habitat, often characterized by woody or semi-woody stems that allow it to persist through multiple growing seasons. Its lifecycle involves a continuous cycle of vegetative growth and seasonal flowering, where it allocates energy toward both structural development and the production of its distinctive, brightly colored blooms. While it functions primarily as a perennial, the plant's life history can be influenced by external stressors, leading to variations in its longevity and reproductive output.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cuphea ignea is characterized by its growth form as a woody shrub, typically maintaining a compact stature with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 0.5 m. As a self-supporting plant, it does not exhibit climbing behavior such as a vine or liana, nor does it function as an epiphyte, remaining strictly terrestrial in its ecological habit. It is an independent organism, showing no parasitic tendencies, and thrives in terrestrial environments rather than aquatic or semiaquatic habitats.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.5 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cuphea ignea is characterized by distinct foliar dimensions that dictate its photosynthetic surface area and transpiration rates. The leaves exhibit a specific morphological range, with leaf lengths varying from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 4.5 cm. Complementing this longitudinal variation, the leaf width is constrained within a narrow margin, ranging from a minimum of 0.5 cm to a maximum of 1.2 cm. These precise measurements reflect the plant's structural adaptation, where the slender, elongated leaf profile optimizes light interception and gas exchange within its specific ecological niche.

Leaf length max:

4.5 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf width max:

1.2 cm

Leaf width min:

0.5 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cuphea ignea is characterized by the development of a capsule-type fruit that serves as the primary vessel for seed dispersal. These capsules are relatively small in size, typically measuring between a minimum of 0.8 cm and a maximum length of 1 cm. As the fruit matures, it exhibits a dehiscence mechanism, meaning it is designed to split open to release its contents. The seeds contained within are minute and highly uniform in mass, with a consistent mean, minimum, and maximum seed mass of 0.001 g. In terms of dimensions, the seeds are quite small, reaching a maximum seed length of 2 mm and a maximum seed width of 2 mm.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Fruit length max:

1 cm

Fruit length min:

0.8 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Seed length max:

2 mm

Seed mass mean:

0.001 g

Seed width max:

2 mm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Cuphea ignea has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic.

Antidiabetic

1. Fitoterapia