Centropogon solanifolius

Native from Costa Rica to Ecuador, this scrambling shrub in the bellflower family grows in wet forests and shrublands. In Colombia, it occurs between about 2,950 and 10,500 feet. Plants recorded in Ecuador reach about 6½ feet tall. Its leaves resemble those of some nightshades. The red tubular flowers are about 2 inches long and are pollinated by hummingbirds. In Monteverde, Costa Rica, tiny mites feed on the flower nectar and travel between flowers on hummingbirds’ bills. Like other members of its family, it contains milky sap. Photographed in the department of Santander, Colombia.