Helikoniat – Heliconia

Overlapping leaf sheaths form erect pseudostems that rise from a short underground stem (rhizome). The leaves are alternately arranged, simple, 15-300 cm long, blades oblong, base of blade unequal on either side of midrib. Petioles are often longer than the blade. Inflorescence is racemous, erect or pendent, with alternately arranged large waxy and colourful bracts, each subtending a group of flowers. Flowers are quite inconspicuous, green, yellow, or orange and eachis subtended by membranous floral bract. The mature fruit is a drupe, with a hard inner layer enclosing each of the true seeds (1-3 per fruit). The outer layer of the fruit is fleshy and at maturity the surface layer becomes blue, red or orange, depending on the species.

The flashy colors of the bracts attract hummingbirds that pollinate the flowers. The length and shape of the bill of the pollinator corresponds to the length and shape of the flowers.