Episcia cupreata (Flame Violet)

Native from Nicaragua to northern Brazil, this creeping evergreen perennial grows in moist tropical forests. Hairy stems spread through runners that root and develop new plantlets, forming low mats. Velvety leaves often have bronze or copper tones, pale veins, and purplish undersides; cultivated forms vary widely in their foliage patterns. Red to orange, funnel-shaped flowers appear singly beside the leaves. It is grown in hanging baskets and terrariums, where warmth, high humidity, and indirect light suit its trailing habit. Photographed in the department of Quindio, Colombia.