| Mexican Heather |
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| File size | 162281 |
| Original date | 4/1/05 8:15 AM |
| Resolution | 2048 x 1536 |
| Flash | Flash fired, auto |
| Focal length | 13.6mm |
| Exposure time | 1/60s |
| Aperture | 7.3 |
| Focus Distance | |
| Metering Mode | Partial |
| Camera make | NIKON |
| Camera model | E3700 |
| Sensor type |
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Photo: |
Botanical name: Cuphea hyssopifolia Family: Lythraceae (Crape Myrtle family)
Mexican false heather is a small tropical evergreen sub-shrub with many
charming attributes including compact form and fine textured foliage. Growing
to a maximum height of about 24 in false heather grows to form flat
topped mounds 18-36 in in diameter. The plant's flat feathery
sprays of foliage are 12-18 in long and are highly branched. The
small oblong leaves resemble those of Scotch heather (genus Calluna also known
by its synonym Erica) and are about 3/4 to 1 in long and 1/4 to 1/2
in wide. They are arranged alternately the length of the stems
giving the plant a fernlike appearance. In tropical climates tiny flowers
emerge from the axils (the points where the leaf attaches to a stem) to create
a show of color that lasts for much of the year. False heather flowers range
from the typical purple and lavender to the less frequently seen white, pink
and deep rose varieties.
| Identification credit: Shaista Ahmad, Aarti Khale | Photographs from Delhi and Nasik. |
• Is this flower misidentified? If yes,