Chrysothemis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae (order Lamiales). The genus includes nine accepted species native to the tropical Americas, from southern Mexico and Cuba through Central America and northern South America to central Brazil. Plants grow as tender tropical perennials with large, dark-green leaves marked by brown tones and thick, succulent upright stems. Flowers are showy orange-red with a bright yellow corolla roughly twice the length of the calyx, featuring a narrow tube and flaring lobes. While the corolla lasts only a day or two, the colored calyx persists and remains decorative long after. The plants form tubers at the base of the stem and sometimes in leaf axils; these go dormant when temperatures drop and re-sprout when conditions improve. Chrysothemis pulchella (sunset bells, black flamingo) is the most widespread and variable species and the one most commonly found in cultivation.
Etymology
The genus name originates from Greek mythology, where Chrysothemis was a daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. The name derives from Ancient Greek chrysos (golden) and themis (law). Several female figures in Greek mythology bear this name.
Distribution
Nine species are native to the tropical Americas, with a range spanning from southern Mexico and Cuba through Central America and into northern South America as far as central Brazil. Chrysothemis pulchella is the most widespread species within this range and the one most frequently encountered in cultivation.
Cultivation
Chrysothemis species prefer filtered light and require regular watering to maintain constant soil moisture. They can be grown as shade-area houseplants, interior ornamentals, or in greenhouses. The plants form tubers that go dormant when temperatures fall too low; during dormancy the leaves and stems die back, and the tubers re-sprout when favorable conditions return.
