Iresine herbstii

Iresine herbstii, or Herbst's bloodleaf, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae that is native to Brazil. Some call this plant the chicken gizzard plant and beefsteak plant.

Description

It is an evergreen, perennial herbaceous plant that can reach heights of 1 to 2 meters; in cultivation it is pruned to a height of a few decimeters. All parts of the plant can be more or less reddish, depending on the variety. The plants are hairy with multicellular trichomes. The fleshy, mostly reddish stems are branched and upright to creeping. The opposite leaves are stalked and simple. The petioles are 2 to 3 cm long. The circular, egg-shaped to heart-shaped leaf blades are 2 to 6 cm long. The leaf veins are often lighter than the rest of the leaf surface, which gives some varieties an attractive leaf pattern. The leaf tip can be pointed to the bifid. The leaf edge is smooth.

Iresine herbstii are dioecious. Terminal and lateral, compound inflorescences are formed, which are made up of spike-like partial inflorescences with many flowers; they are up to 20 cm long. The membranous, shiny bracts and bracts are egg-shaped and 1 to 1.5 mm long. The very small, stalkless flowers are unisexual. There are only five membranous, about 1 to 1.25 mm large perianth leaves; they are usually white, yellowish-white or greenish. The male flowers usually have five fertile stamens. The stamens are fused at their base. The spherical, somewhat compressed ovary contains only one ovule. There is at most a short (about 0.2 mm) style. The fruits are spherical to compressed and contain only one seed.