Mexican Loosestrife

Description

The Yerba del Cancer or Cuphea aequipetala, is a species of small parrot belonging to the Lythraceae family native to Mexico. It is a perennial plant that reaches a size of 15-100 cm in height, patent, suffocating, multi-stemmed. Tarmos erect to decumbent, hispid, the trichomespurple-colored, with 2 longitudinal internodal threads of minute trichomes; Internodes generally longer than the underlying fibers on the lower legs. Fueyes 15-25 × 5-10 mm, ovate to lanceolate; petiole 1-3(-5) mm; crested horns of tarmos gradually amenorgaes or non amenorgaes. Inflorescences in foliose recimans. Solitary, axillary flowers; pedicels 2(-5) mm; floral tube 13-17 mm including a 1 mm spur, descending, sacciform, the tube slender, the ventral side slightly extended, deep purple dorsally, paler below, setose, with purple-colored trichomes, especially at the base, the surface inner minute already irregularly rugulose-vesiculated below stames; dorsal fin of speck larger than others; appendages thickened, setose; petals 6, subequal, the 2 dosal ones 5-8 mm, intense purplish-pink, the 4 ventral ones 3-6 mm, purplish-pink; stames 11, 5 exserted; deflex discussion. Grains 8-14, 2 × 2 mm, scarcely marxine to emargine. have a number ofchromosomes of 2 n = 24. It is native to Mexico where it lives in temperate, semi-warm, semi-dry and temperate climates from 1000 to 3900 meters above sea level. It is associated with winter crops, deciduous and sub-deciduous tropical forests, xerophilous carba, pacional and thorny forest, mesophyllous forest, d' encina, pinu, mistu de pinu-encino and juniper.