Description

• Dalechampia is a genus of flowering plants in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). Its members include climbing vines, scrambling shrubs, and herbaceous plants, often with alternate leaves that may be simple or lobed. The flowers are distinctive, arranged in compact clusters with conspicuous, leaf-like bracts that can be colourful and showy. Many species produce floral resins that attract specialized bees, which collect the resin for nest construction rather than for food.

Range

• Dalechampia is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, with its greatest diversity in Central and South America and additional species in Mexico and the Caribbean. It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.

Habitat

• Species of Dalechampia occur in tropical forests, forest edges, woodland clearings, thickets, and disturbed areas. Climbing species often scramble over shrubs and other vegetation, while others grow in more open settings. They generally favour warm conditions and may be found in both seasonally dry and humid tropical environments, depending on the species.