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The Hooker’s lips plant scientifically known as Palicourea elata (formerly psychotria elata), is a tropical plant found in Central and South America, including countries like Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama and Ecuador. The most distinctive feature of the plant is its bright red bracts, which are modified leaves resembling human lips.
Though the bright red bracts are it most flashy feature, the actual flowers are small and white, nestled within these colorful bracts. Like the human lips, the hot lips plant comes in different shapes and forms offering an immense selection of plants.
As with many plants in tropical rainforests, hooker’s lips plays a role in the ecosystem by providing habitat and food for various organisms. The flowers may attract pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds.
The Hooker’s lips is not only appreciated for its unique appearance in the botanical world, the plant has been well studied and has been associated to providing many health benefits. It has been shown to have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Due to these health benefits and its overall appearance, it has been over-harvested and is now endangered. The plant faces threats from habitat destruction and other human activities. Conservation efforts are crucial to preserve this and other equally unique plants.
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