Monochaetum myrtoideum

Native to Colombia and Táchira in Venezuela, this Andean shrub is found in scrub, along trails and in mountain forests. Its flowers have four violet to fuchsia petals and yellow stamens of two different sizes. The young stems and leaf stalks are often reddish, while the older bark peels away. The fruits are dry capsules that split open to release tiny seeds. In Boyacá, the species is used in ecological restoration and as a living barrier. In Colombia, it occurs from about 6,200 to 12,800 feet. Photographed in the eastern Andes mountain range of Colombia.