Common Name: Paper Flower
Latin Name: Bougainvillea glabra
Family Name: Nyctaginaceae (Four o’clock family)
Geographical Range: Native to South America, especially Brazil, but widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world.
Fun Fact: The colorful parts of the Paper Flower are not the actual flowers but bracts (modified leaves). The true flowers are tiny, tubular, and usually white, nestled within the bracts.
Uses by people: Sometimes used in traditional medicinal for treatments of coughs, diabetes, and stomach issues. The bracts are also sometimes used in natural dye production.
Uses by animals: The nectar from the small flowers attracts pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. It also acts as a habitat for small insects and sometimes birds, especially in densely grown areas.
Roles in their ecosystem: Helps reduce soil erosion when planted on slopes or as ground cover.
