Cuphea strigulosa

Native to tropical South America, it is a perennial herb or small subshrub with upright to partly reclining, sparsely branched stems. Fine hairs and scattered gland-tipped bristles cover the stems. Its opposite, elliptical leaves have very short stalks or attach directly to the stem. Flowers occur singly at alternating nodes along leafy flowering shoots. Each has six nearly equal pale rose to pink petals and a narrow green to purple floral tube with a small downward-pointing spur at its base. The fruits contain flattened seeds. The species grows in moist pastures, disturbed open ground and along river margins. Photographed in Chocó, Ecuador.