A plant’s disguiseSourced
The red lips are not petals
Palicourea elata grows in Central and South American rainforests. Its conspicuous red, lip-shaped structures are bracts: modified leaves rather than the actual flowers. Small flowers emerge between them.
The part that seems most flower-like is a set of leaves.
Summary / translation: Unbubly · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Palicourea elata · Wikimedia contributors
Adapted, summarized and translated from the source. Adapted text is also available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Reviewed: 2026-10-10