4Hooker’s Lips (Psychotria elata)
Native to the rainforests of Central and South America, Psychotria elata is commonly known as Hooker’s Lips or Hot Lips due to the shape of its bright red bracts that resemble a pair of plump lips. These vibrant bracts serve as an attraction to pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies. While the “lips” are the plant’s most striking feature, they are not the actual flower; the small, white flowers emerge from between the red bracts. The plant’s suggestive appearance and vivid coloration make it one of the most unusual and striking flowers in the tropical rainforest.
