False Heather

Overview

Native from Mexico to Panama. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and insecticide. It is often grown as an ornamental in the tropics - in the temperate zone it can be grown as a summer bedding plant.

Vernacular Names

Romerito (Spanish), Corail (French), Cuféia (Brazil), Falsches Heidekraut (German), Isopskufea (Swedish) 

Agroecology

Found in banks of rivers and streams, moist forests; at elevations up to 1,500 m. Species in this genus generally prefer a position in full sun, but are tolerant of partial shade. They generally grow best in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils. 

Morphology

• Roots - taproot.
• Stems - green, many branched, covered with fine and soft hair.
• Leaves - opposite, narrowly lanceolate, 10-35 × 1-8 mm. Solitary flowers grow from the leaf axils along the branches.
• Flowers - each flower has 6 pink, purple or white petals (3-3.5 mm long) emerging from a green floral tube (5-8 mm long). The calyx teeth are triangular and the calyx may be glabrous or with a few stiff hairs.
• Fruits - 3-lobed capsules containing 5-8 seeds.
• Seeds - reddish brown, suborbicular.

Cultivation

Propagated by seeds - can be sown in situ. Germination usually takes a few weeks because of the hard seed coat.

Chemical Constituents

Phenolic compounds (valoneic acid dilactone; 1,3−O−digalloyl-4-,6-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-β-D−4C1-glucopyarnose; gallic acid; genistein-7-O-β-D-4C1-glucopyranoside; myricetin−3  O−β-D−4C1-glucopyranoside; 3, 4, 5-trimethoxy benzoic acid; vanillic acid), cuphiin D1, cuphiin D2, oenothein B, woodfordin C, diterpenes and flavonoids (friedelan-3β-ol; ursolic acid; methyl  error; quercetin; quercetin-3-O-α-rhamnopyranoside; 1,2, 3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose; and mannitol).

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• The leaves and flowers are used as a tonic and in the treatment of fevers and coughs.
• The plant is a rich source of phenolic compounds which have been shown to have a strong antioxidant activity.