Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd.

A less common and more hairy plant than Bougainvillea glabra Choisy, with softly pubescent parts. The bracts can be of various shades of red, purple, orange or white. Sometimes two colour types can be found on the same plant. The flowering is during the hot season and sporadic after periods of drought.

This species is used as an ornamental plant. It is adapted to climates with a distinct dry season and does not flower well in perpetually humid conditions. The name is often applied uncritically to material of hybrid origin.

A taller plant with larger and more hairy leaves and curved spines up to 5 cm long. The obtuse bracts are rosy-red, white or brick-red to crimson in colour.

Branches and leaves densely pubescent; spines recurved. Leaves petiolate; leaf blade elliptic or ovate, base rotund. Bracts dark red or light purple-red, elliptic-ovate, 2.5-6.5 × 1.5-4 cm, base rotund to cordate. Perianth tube green, narrowly tubular, rounded, 1.6-2.4 cm, densely pubescent, apex 5-6-lobed, lobes spreading, yellow, 3.5-5 mm, hairs copious, spreading, to 1 mm. Stamens 8. Ovary stipitate. Fruit 1-1.5 cm, densely hairy. Fl. winter-spring.

Native of S. America; widely cultivated in warm countries.

Distribution: A native of Brazil.

150 m

Cultivated. S China [tropical America].