Lophospermum erubescens

Lophospermum erubescens
In cultivation
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Genus: Lophospermum
Species:
L. erubescens
Binomial name
Lophospermum erubescens
Synonyms[1]
  • Asarina erubescens (D.Don) Pennell
  • Maurandya erubescens (D.Don) A.Gray
  • Maurandya erubescens var. purpusii I.M.Johnst.
  • Maurandya scandens var. erubescens (D.Don) Voss
  • Maurandya scandens var. spectabilis Voss

Lophospermum erubescens, known as Mexican twist[2] or creeping gloxinia,[3] is a climbing or sprawling herbaceous perennial plant, native to the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains of Mexico, where it is found along forest margins or canyon walls. It climbs by means of twining leaf stalks. Wild plants have pink and white tubular flowers, although other colours are found in cultivation. It has been cultivated as an ornamental plant since at least 1830. Although not frost-hardy, it will survive if its base and roots are protected from freezing in the winter. It has escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in tropical and subtropical areas of the world.[4]

Lophospermum erubescens has been confused with Lophospermum scandens, partly because the earliest illustration of L. erubescens was labelled as L. scandens. Among other differences, L. erubescens has a more climbing habit than L. scandens, with many twining leaf stalks; also the sepals are broader and joined at the base for only 2–3 mm (0.08–0.12 in) rather than 7–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in).

Despite the common name creeping gloxinia, it is not closely related to either the true Gloxinia species from South America, or the flowering houseplant commonly known as gloxinia, Sinningia speciosa.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference TPL_kew-2498793 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference USDA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference RHSPF was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference worldplants was invoked but never defined (see the help page).