Blue Mauritius bellflower
Blue Mauritius bellflower is only found on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. The flowers contain bright red nectar, which is easily visible if you look down into the flower. Red nectar is a very unusual feature for plants.
Throughout the world, there are very few species of plants that have red nectar, and most of them grow in Mauritius. The flowers are pollinated by a gekko (Phelsuma ornata) that visits the flowers to drink the nectar.
The plant was discovered in 1976 in a remote rocky area near a waterfall. It is estimated that there are less than 200 plants in the wild, and the species is therefore regarded as threatened with extinction.
Facts:
- Greenhouse location: Tropical house
- Danish name: Blodklokke
- Latin name: Nesocodon mauritianus
- Family: Bellflower family / Campanulaceae
- Natural habitat: Soutern India
Learn more about other plants here.