Brachyotum ledifolium
Native to the Andes from Colombia to Peru, this woody shrub grows in mountain forests, pƔramo grasslands, and scrub. In Colombia, it is recorded between about 8,900 and 14,800 feet. Its opposite leaves have three prominent veins, and young branches, leaves, and flower cups bear stiff hairs. The hanging flowers have red-orange cups and pointed sepals surrounding five overlapping pale yellow or greenish cream petals. The petals form a tube with a slender style extending beyond them. Dry capsules contain numerous tiny seeds. Its bark splits and peels in thin strips. Photographed in Colombia.
