Aristeguietia lamiifolia (Matico Morado)

Native to Colombia and Ecuador, this shrub or subshrub grows in Andean woodland, scrub and disturbed habitats. Its opposite leaves are broadly oval, with slightly heart-shaped bases and rounded teeth along the margins. Small lavender-blue flowerheads are grouped into broad clusters at the branch tips. Each head contains numerous tubular florets, giving the clusters a soft, feathery appearance. The dry fruits are prism-shaped and hairy. In Ecuador, the species is recorded at elevations reaching about 11,500 feet. Photographed in Colombia.