Dichorisandra penduliflora

Native to northeastern Brazil, this plant is a perennial herb with branched stems that grow upward before their tips arch or droop. Its glossy green leaves are elliptic to lance-shaped, have smooth margins and are arranged alternately in two rows. Hanging flower clusters develop at the ends of the stems. The blue-purple flowers have three broad petals with white bases and five stamens, whose pale anthers have purple tips. In warm conditions, flowering may continue throughout the year. Individual blooms close in the afternoon on sunny days but may remain open longer under cloud cover. Photographed in Florida.