Psychotria elata is an understory shrub of the Rubiaceae family found throughout Central America from low to mid-elevation. It is most recognized for its pair of bright red lip-shaped bracts surrounding small, white, tubular flowers. This heterostylus plant is hummingbird-pollinated, though it is visited by other insects such as butterflies, and its small blue fruits are dispersed by birds. Little is known about herbivory for the species. The presence of alkaloids in P. elata has led to its common use as a medicinal plant within indigenous populations of Central America.
Psychotria elata is found from Central America to Columbia from 30 meters in elevation up to 1700 meters (Silva and Segura 2015).
It thrives in secondary habitats and forest edge, and is common in the forest understory (Haber 2000, Sakai and Wright 2008, Dyer et al 2004). It is a pioneer species, growing in large gaps in the forest, and has been found in pure stands (Weissenhofer 2005).
A common understory shrub or small tree, P. elata is a member of the Rubiaceae family, displaying the characteristic simple, opposite leaves with interpetiolar stipules. The leaves are glabrous, and the plant ranges from one half to five meters tall. It has solitary terminal inflorescences of small, whitish, tubular flowers with white bracteoles. A pair of bright reddish-orange, shiny basal bracts surround the inflorescences (Silva and Segura 2015). The bracts are semicircles that are curved in such a way that they look like large lips, hence the common name, ‘hot lips.’ The plant produces a small, blue-indigo ovoid (egg-shaped) fruit from each flower (Silva and Segura 2015). P. elata is distinguished from the very similar species, P. poeppigiana, by the lack of hairs on the leaves and stem (Gargiullo et al 2008).
This plant is heterostylus, particularly distyly, meaning the stamens and pistils inside the flower are not the same length. This type of morph is known as pin and thrum; some flowers have long stamens and short pistils (thrum), and some flowers have short stamens and long pistils (pin) (Silva and Segura 2015). Anisoplethy has been shown to be common in P. elata, which means that there is not a 1:1 ratio of pin morphs to thrum morphs (Silva and Segura 2015). Being heterostylus promotes cross-pollination (Sakai and Wright 2008, Silva and Segura 2015). This is because the differing heights of the flower parts allow the pollinator to touch different ones when visiting different flowers. Basically, the pollen will be picked up from the male parts but likely will not be deposited on the female parts of the same flower.
Another characteristic for reducing the chance of self-pollination is having few flowers open at a time. It is more beneficial to do this considering P. elata is hummingbird pollinated year-round, and hummingbirds often partake in traplining. Traplining is a feeding method where the hummingbird will visit the same flowers multiple times per day in circuits as the plant replenishes the nectar (Wolowski et al 2013, Castro and Araujo 2004). If there are many flowers open, more pollen will be taken away and brought back to the same plant, increasing the chance that it will be fertilized by its own pollen. Thus, having one or two flowers open at a time is more strategic. P. elata also exhibits asexual reproduction by fragmentation (Dyer et al 2004).
As a hummingbird-specialized plant, P. elata is visited by hummingbirds in all seasons (King and Bawa 2003). The red bracts reflect a median wavelength of around 650 nm, which is a high wavelength matching the perception of hummingbirds. It is also visited by insects, especially butterflies, and P. elata is particularly important to Heliconius butterflies as a food source (Petrie 2007). Though they are considered secondary pollinators, it has been demonstrated that when a Heliconius butterfly has the pollen on its proboscis, it damages the P. elata pollen significantly, breaking it down and disintegrating the cytoplasm to access nutrients, and it cannot be used in reproduction (Krenn et al 2009). Additionally, data suggests that the long-style flowers’ pollen tubes shrivel with illegitimate pollination, indicating it avoids self-pollination (Faivre 2002).
The blue berries of P. elata are set against the bright red background and reflect a shorter wavelength of around 470 nm. This juxtaposition of short and long wavelengths aids avian fruit dispersers in finding the fruit, because it is a bird-dispersed species (Haber 2000), and also may facilitate distinction between fruits and flowers for insect visitors (Altshuler 2003).
Psychotria elata flowers and fruits year round, but most vigorously from January to August (Silva and Segura 2015). Due to this fact, P. elata is ecologically important as it provides food for many bird species during all seasons (Bolen 1998).
As an ethnomedicinal plant, P. elata is utilized by many cultures for many ailments. For example, in Nicaragua it is used to treat side effects of snakebites, it is implemented by the Garífuna people for at least seven ailments, and it is common in Rama midwifery to induce abortion, reduce fevers, and treat vaginal infections (Coe and Anderson 2005; Coe and Anderson 1996; Coe 2008). Furthermore, it serves as an anti-hallucinogenic in Panama (Caballero-George, et al 2001). Psychotria elata functions medicinally due to its alkaloids (plant-produced nitrogenous organic compounds that physiologically effect humans) that bind to different nervous system receptors involved in health problems such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and mental and feeding disorders (Caballero-George, et al 2001).
Not much is known about predation upon P. elata, but it has been demonstrated that asexual fragments will die with extreme leaf removal as a proxy for herbivory (Dyer et al 2004). Additionally, leaf-cutter ants have been observed to take P. elata leaves in an acceptability bioassay, but it is not conclusive that it is a species that the ants prefer (Farji‐Brener 2001).
Palicourea elata, formerly Psychotria elata,[1] commonly known as girlfriend kiss[2] and labios de puta,[3] is a tropical plant that ranges from Central to South American rain forests in countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, and Colombia.[4] Palicourea elata is extremely sensitive and requires specific climates to grow, those climates most like rainforests are best suitable for this plant. It is most notable for its distinctly shaped red bracts and is consequently nicknamed “Hot Lips”. Though the bright red bracts are considered its most flashy feature, they are not the actual flowers of the plant but instead extravagant leaves; the flowers of Palicourea elata lie within the “red lip” leaves.[5] Just like human lips, the hot lips plant comes in a variety of shapes and forms offering a vast array of plants. P. elata is well-studied and has been documented over centuries to provide various health benefits to native communities. Due to these benefits and the overall appearance of the plant, it has been over-harvested and is now endangered.
Palicourea elata can be described as a shrub that is part of the Rubiaceae family, also commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. The Rubiaceae family is recognizable for having simple, opposite leaves with interpetiolar stipules and can come in the form of terrestrial trees, herbs, lianas, or shrubs like P. elata. This plant will typically be found in the understory layer of rain forests. This species can grow from 1 to 3 m (3.3 to 9.8 ft), occasionally reaching 4 m (13 ft) in height. The plant’s morphology can be quite variable as it is directly affected by the neighborhood structure of nearby plants, and overall light availability that the plant has access to. These variables, as well as the general resources available to the plant, have been shown to effect the biomechanics, allometry, and branching of P. elata, which, in turn, can effect height and leaf count.[6]
The most distinctive features of P. elata are its red bracts, a modified set of leaves. Before its flowers bloom, the bracts resemble a pair of human lips. The flowers of P. elata bloom from December to March and can be described as small, star-shaped flowers.[7] P. elata is part of the genus Palicourea, and, as many plants of this genus, does not give off a scent. Due to the undetectable scent, the plant relies on its shape alone to attract pollinators, such as butterflies and hummingbirds.[8] Once pollination and fertilization occurs, P. elata produces small black or dark blue berries.[9] These berries are then distributed via birds; a common mechanism that plants of the Palicoura genus use.
One of the main phytochemicals in Palicourea elata that have been found is strictosidine.[10]
Palicourea elata has become endangered due to deforestation in its native range. Expansive farming and legal and illegal harvesting of trees are causing primary growth and secondary growth forests to be turned into fields for crops, or pastures for livestock, and wastelands. It is to be noted that due to its kissable appearance, it has been widely used as a gift for Valentine’s Day and harvests can be overbearing.[5] Since this species is a understory shrub that relies on the shade that the overhanging trees provide, the population sizes are rapidly decreasing and harshly diminished by over-harvesting, climate changes, and loss of habitat.[9] The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has reported that one-tenth of all the Palicourea species are considered threatened. Even so, the endangered species status is not complete as it has been mostly accounted for species only in Ecuador, with many other Palicourea species existing outside the country.[11] If likewise threatened in the rest of its native range, P. elata and potentially a large portion its genus, are at risk.
The bark and leaves of P. elata are used in folk medicine for earaches, cough, and skin irritation or rashes.[5] The Guna people native to Panama and Colombia have habitually used this flower for dyspnea.[9] In Nicaraguan communities, the plant has been used to help with the side effects from snake bites; all parts of the plant have been known to be used for this purpose. For medicinal uses, the desired parts of the plant are made into either a decoction for oral administration or as a poultice for topical administration.[12] As mentioned previously, the plant can offer a psychedelic effect that can potentially be used medically, but is mostly used in ceremonies in native communities.[5] The plant has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties as well as anti-inflammatory properties.[13]
Typically, the plant will be harvested in a secondary growth forest. There has been little research done and even less medical research done on Palicourea elata. Most of the data found on the plant is anecdotal evidence from native populations that has been tested to see if applicable in some way, such as with the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties the plant contains.
Psychotria elata "red lips"-like bracts before flowering Palicourea elata, formerly Psychotria elata, commonly known as girlfriend kiss and labios de puta, is a tropical plant that ranges from Central to South American rain forests in countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, and Colombia. Palicourea elata is extremely sensitive and requires specific climates to grow, those climates most like rainforests are best suitable for this plant. It is most notable for its distinctly shaped red bracts and is consequently nicknamed “Hot Lips”. Though the bright red bracts are considered its most flashy feature, they are not the actual flowers of the plant but instead extravagant leaves; the flowers of Palicourea elata lie within the “red lip” leaves. Just like human lips, the hot lips plant comes in a variety of shapes and forms offering a vast array of plants. P. elata is well-studied and has been documented over centuries to provide various health benefits to native communities. Due to these benefits and the overall appearance of the plant, it has been over-harvested and is now endangered.
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