About Trichanthera gigantea (Bonpl.) Nees
Trichanthera gigantea (Bonpl.) Nees typically grows as a shrub or tree reaching up to 5 meters in height, though one specimen measuring 15 meters has been recorded. It often produces aerial roots. Its oval or oblong leaves, which grow up to 26 centimeters long and 14 centimeters wide, are attached to short petioles. The bell-shaped flowers are maroon with a yellow throat, and the throat can reach up to 2.5 centimeters in length. This species blooms in the afternoon, and its flowers drop off during the night. The flowers are pollinated by bats, and the bat species Glossophaga soricina has been observed visiting the flowers of Trichanthera gigantea. This plant is cultivated as animal fodder to feed ducks, pigs, and rabbits, as its leaves are relatively high in protein. In Colombia, it is used in veterinary medicine to treat colic in horses and retained placenta in cows. It also has a number of uses for humans: it is used in human medicine as a supplement to increase lactation in nursing mothers, and it is grown as a living fence and a shade tree.
