''Cuphea'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

containing about 260

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of annual and

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s native to warm

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

regions of the Americas. The species range from low-growing

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

plants to semi-woody

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s up to tall. Commonly they are known as cupheas, or, in the case of some species, as cigar plants. The generic name is derived from the Greek word κυφος (''kyphos''), meaning "bent," "curved," or "humped."

Uses

Several ''Cuphea'' species are popular

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...

s or honey plants. '' C. ignea'' 'David Verity' and '' C. micropetalia'' are popular plants to attract

hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are found in the tropics aro ...

s. Some species of ''Cuphea'' are used to produce

cuphea oil Cuphea oil is oil pressed from the seeds of several species of the genus ''Cuphea''. Interest in cuphea oils is relatively recent, as a source of medium-chain triglycerides like those found in coconut oil and palm oil. Cuphea oil is of interest beca ...

, of interest as sources of medium-chain triglycerides. For most purposes, cuphea oil is identical to

coconut oil frameless , right , alt = A cracked coconut and a bottle of coconut oil Coconut oil (or coconut butter) is an edible oil derived from the wick, meat, and milk of the coconut palm fruit. Coconut oil is a white solid fat; in warmer climates duri ...

and

palm oil Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of the oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil accounted for about 33% of global oils produced from ...

; these are derived from strictly tropical plants however and – particularly in the latter case – the expanding production of which has caused a considerable amount of

habitat destruction Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

. ''Cuphea'' may thus produce a valuable source of income for farmers in temperate regions, and by supplementing coconut and palm oil to satisfy the growing demand (e.g. for

biodiesel Biodiesel is a form of diesel fuel derived from plants or animals and consisting of long-chain fatty acid esters. It is typically made by chemically reacting lipids such as animal fat (tallow), soybean oil, or some other vegetable oil with ...

production) at the same time decreasing the need for wholesale

logging Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars. Logging is the beginning of a supply chain ...

in tropical countries. Early attempts at commercial production have focused on an interspecific

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...

population derived from '' C. lanceolata'' and Clammy Cuphea ('' C. viscosissima''). ''Cuphea'' has also been shown to improve agricultural crops in North America when used in

crop rotation Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of different types of crops in the same area across a sequence of growing seasons. It reduces reliance on one set of nutrients, pest and weed pressure, and the probability of developing resistant ...

. Crop rotation is commonly practiced among farmers to improve soil quality, control host-specific pests, and decrease the use of fertilizers and pesticides. When cuphea was introduced into the crop rotation of corn and wheat, scientists from the

Agricultural Research Service The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the principal in-house research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). ARS is one of four agencies in USDA's Research, Education and Economics mission area. ARS is charged with ext ...

of the

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

found that the addition of ''cuphea'' had positive effects on the following harvest, including a higher yield of crop and crops that are higher in protei

Such research reveals how ''cuphea'' can be used in agriculture to increase the profitability of crops like wheat and corn. The seed oils of some species are very rich in one particular

fatty acid In chemistry, particularly in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with an aliphatic chain, which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an unbranched chain of an even number of carbon atoms, fr ...

. '' C. painteri'' oil, for example, is about three-quarters caprylic acid; '' C. carthagenensis'' oil consists of about 80% lauric acid. '' C. koehneana'' oil may be the richest natural source of a single fatty acid, with 95% of its content consisting of

capric acid Capric acid, also known as decanoic acid or decylic acid, is a saturated fatty acid, medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA), and carboxylic acid. Its formula is CH3(CH2)8COOH. Salts and esters of decanoic acid are called caprates or decanoates. The term ...

. Currently the plant is not commonly used for medicinal effects; however, chemical analysis of its fatty oils suggest the plant could possibly serve as an algicidal, fungicidal or antibiotic agent. There is also reason to believe the plant could be effective as an appetite stimulant.

Selected species

* '' Cuphea aspera'' Chapman * '' Cuphea carthagenensis'' (

Jacq. Nikolaus Joseph Freiherr von Jacquin (16 February 172726 October 1817) was a scientist who studied medicine, chemistry and botany. Biography Born in Leiden in the Netherlands, he studied medicine at Leiden University, then moved first to Par ...

) J.F.MacBr. * '' Cuphea cyanea''

DC. Augustin Pyramus (or Pyrame) de Candolle (, , ; 4 February 17789 September 1841) was a Swiss botanist. René Louiche Desfontaines launched de Candolle's botanical career by recommending him at a herbarium. Within a couple of years de Candolle ...

* '' Cuphea decandra'' W.T.Aiton * '' Cuphea elegans'' * '' Cuphea epilobiifolia'' * '' Cuphea hookeriana''

Walp. Wilhelm Gerhard Walpers (26 December 1816 in Mühlhausen – 18 June 1853 in Berlin) was a German botanist. This botanist is denoted by the List of botanists by author abbreviation, author abbreviation Walp. when Author citation (botany), citing a ...

* ''

Cuphea hyssopifolia ''Cuphea hyssopifolia'', the false heather, Mexican heather, Hawaiian heather or elfin herb, is a small evergreen shrub native to Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. Description It grows to about high by wide and has purple, lavender or white c ...

'' Kunth – false heather, Mexican heather * ''

Cuphea ignea ''Cuphea ignea'', the cigar plant, cigar flower, firecracker plant, or Mexican cigar, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Cuphea'' of the family Lythraceae. It is a tropical, densely branched evergreen subshrub. This species, native to ...

A.DC. Alphonse Louis Pierre Pyramus (or Pyrame) de Candolle (28 October 18064 April 1893) was a French-Swiss botanist, the son of the Swiss botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle. Biography De Candolle, son of Augustin Pyramus de Candolle, first devot ...

* '' Cuphea ingrata''

Cham. Adelbert von Chamisso (; 30 January 178121 August 1838) was a Germans, German poet and botanist, author of ''Peter Schlemihl'', a famous story about a man who sold his shadow. He was commonly known in French as Adelbert de Chamisso (or Chamissot ...

Schltdl. Diederich Franz Leonhard von Schlechtendal (27 November 1794, Xanten – 12 October 1866, Halle an der Saale, Halle) was a German botanist. He studied in Berlin, in 1819 becoming curator of the Botanical Garden in Berlin, Royal Herbarium. He was ...

* '' Cuphea jorullensis'' Kunth * '' Cuphea koehneana'' Rose * '' Cuphea laminuligera''

Koehne The surname Koehne may refer to: History "Koehne" is the North German variant of the name "Kuehne". People * Bernhard Karl von Koehne (1817–1887), Russian heraldist and numismatist * Bernhard Adalbert Emil Koehne (1848–1918), German ...

* ''

Cuphea lanceolata ''Cuphea lanceolata'', also known as the cigar flower, is an annual herbaceous flowering plant in the genus ''Cuphea'' of the family Lythraceae. Description ''Cuphea lanceolata'' reaches on average a height of . It has a branched stem with oppos ...

'' W.T.Aiton * '' Cuphea linarioides''

* ''

Cuphea llavea ''Cuphea'' is a genus containing about 260 species of annual and perennial flowering plants native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas. The species range from low-growing herbaceous plants to semi-woody shrubs up to tall. Com ...

'' Lex. – bat-faced cuphea Rainy Side Gardeners: Cuphea llavea 'Tiny Mice'
/ref> * ''

Cuphea lutea ''Cuphea'' is a genus containing about 260 species of annual and perennial flowering plants native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas. The species range from low-growing herbaceous plants to semi-woody shrubs up to tall. Com ...

'' Rose * '' Cuphea lutescens'' Hoehne * '' Cuphea melvilla''

Lindl. John Lindley FRS (5 February 1799 – 1 November 1865) was an English botanist, gardener and orchidologist. Early years Born in Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four children of George and Mary Lindley. George Lindley w ...

* '' Cuphea mesostemon'' Koehne * '' Cuphea micropetala'' Kunth * ''

Cuphea nudicostata ''Cuphea'' is a genus containing about 260 species of annual and perennial flowering plants native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas. The species range from low-growing herbaceous plants to semi-woody shrubs up to tall. Com ...

'' * '' Cuphea oreophila'' * '' Cuphea painteri'' Rose * '' Cuphea parsonsia'' (L.) R.Br. ex Steud. – island wax weed * '' Cuphea procumbens'' Ortega * '' Cuphea salvadorensis''

Standl. Paul Carpenter Standley (March 21, 1884 – June 2, 1963) was an American botanist known for his work on neotropical plants. __TOC__ Standley was born on March 21, 1884 in Avalon, Missouri. He attended Drury College in Springfield, Missouri an ...

* ''

Cuphea speciosa ''Cuphea'' is a genus containing about 260 species of annual and perennial flowering plants native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas. The species range from low-growing herbaceous plants to semi-woody shrubs up to tall. Co ...

Mart. Carl Friedrich Philipp (Karl Friedrich Philipp) von Martius (17 April 1794 – 13 December 1868) was a German botanist and explorer. Life Martius was born at Erlangen, the son of Prof Ernst Wilhelm Martius, court apothecary. He graduated PhD f ...

* '' Cuphea strigulosa'' * '' Cuphea viscosissima'' Jacq. – clammy cuphea, blue waxweed, tarweed * '' Cuphea wrightii''

A.Gray Asa Gray (November 18, 1810 – January 30, 1888) is considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century. His '' Darwiniana'' was considered an important explanation of how religion and science were not necessarily mutually exc ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1795637 Lythraceae genera