Asystasia gangetica (Chinese Violet)

Native from the Indian subcontinent through Southeast Asia to northern and eastern Australia, this creeping herbaceous perennial grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and can scramble over nearby vegetation. Its flowers are trumpet-shaped. Dry capsules split open explosively, scattering four seeds, and stem fragments can also establish new plants. Its rapid spread can form dense mats that smother low vegetation. It has become naturalized and invasive in Hawaii, United States. Photographed in Atlántico, Colombia.