About

Palicourea elata, formerly Psychotria elata, commonly known as girlfriend kiss and labios de puta, is a tropical plant that ranges from Central to South American rainforests in countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, and Colombia.

The plant is most notable for its distinctly shaped red bracts and is consequently nicknamed “Hot Lips”. Though the bright red bracts are considered its most flashy feature, they are not the actual flowers of the plant but instead extravagant leaves. The hot lips plant comes in a variety of shapes and forms. P. elata is well-studied and has been documented over centuries to provide various health benefits to native communities. Due to these benefits and the overall appearance of the plant, it has been over-harvested and is now endangered.

Uses

The bark and leaves of P. elata are used in folk medicine for earaches, cough, and skin irritation or rashes. The Guna people native to Panama and Colombia have habitually used this flower for dyspnea. In Nicaraguan communities, the plant has been used to help with the side effects from snake bites; all parts of the plant have been known to be used for this purpose. For medicinal uses, the desired parts of the plant are made into either a decoction for oral administration or as a poultice for topical administration. As mentioned previously, the plant can offer a psychedelic effect that can potentially be used medically, but is mostly used in ceremonies in native communities. The plant has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties as well as anti-inflammatory properties.

Other Palicourea plants

Palicourea anderssoniana · Palicourea anianguana · Palicourea asplundii · Palicourea azurea · Palicourea bracteocardia · Palicourea calantha · Palicourea calothyrsus · Palicourea calycina · Palicourea canarina · Palicourea candida · Palicourea consobrina · Palicourea corniculata