Centropogon (Campanulaceae) BSWJ10657

willdenowianus

A relatively small scandent perennial with flexuous purplish stems to 1m long, bearing alternate rounded to broadly elliptic leaves to 5cm long. With cerise 5-6 cm long tubular flowers on slender stalks appearing from the terminal leaf axils. A close relative to Lobelia, which it somewhat resembles in flower, but more in common with Codonopsis when out of flower. From one of our seed collections gathered from a botanically rich area of Termales del Ruiz, Colombia at 3500m in 2004. Best grown in a shaded moist position with protection for the roots in winter. Syn. C. ayavacensis.