Alternanthera porrigens (Moradilla)

Native to western South America, from Colombia to Bolivia and central Chile, this sprawling shrub or subshrub reaches about 6.5 feet tall and sometimes scrambles over nearby vegetation. Its small, papery flowers are packed into short, stalked heads. Flower-head colors range from bright purple to yellowish white among its varieties. In Ecuador, it occurs between about 3,300 and 14,800 feet and is grown ornamentally in planters and open spaces. Photographed in Ecuador.