abrojo colorado
Krameria ixine L.
Krameria ixine has colourful flowers with prominent sepals and specialized petals, followed by round, finely spiny fruits. Plants are upright, slender and often rather weakly branched, commonly standing between 30 cm and 1.5 m tall. Simpson 1989, Flora Neotropica: Krameria ixine
Botanical name
Kew accepts Krameria ixine L. Simpson’s monograph explicitly links this name to its Loefl.-authored treatment. Kew POWO: Krameria ixineSimpson 1989, Flora Neotropica: Krameria ixine
Recognizing the plant
Its simple leaves are narrow, lance-shaped to elliptical, with a small dark point at the tip and hairs on both surfaces. Flowers occur in lateral and terminal racemes. Four pink or rose-coloured sepals fade toward pale pink or white as they age, sometimes giving the cluster a two-colour appearance. The fruit body is only about 4–7 mm across, excluding the spines. Each spine bears tiny backward-pointing barbs toward its outer portion. Simpson 1989, Flora Neotropica: Krameria ixine
Bloom window
Colombia
Simpson reports a flowering peak from April to August in Colombia. Simpson 1989, Flora Neotropica: Krameria ixine
Native range
The native range extends from Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean to northern South America and Guyana. Simpson records open grassy areas, oak or pine savannas and dry grassland, often near sea level but reaching 1,500 m in Guatemala. Kew POWO: Krameria ixineSimpson 1989, Flora Neotropica: Krameria ixine
Botanical sources
Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.