A genus of tropical flowering plants in the family Heliconiaceae, with nearly 200 species native to tropical America and the western Pacific. Common names include false bird of paradise, lobster claw, parakeet flower, parrot's beak, and wild plantain.
The flowers of the genus can have various shapes, with inflorescences ranging from hanging to erect. Some species can resemble the bird of paradise flower, but unlike the bird of paradise, heliconias produce several bracts (also known as spathe, a beak-like sheath that encloses the flowers) per stem. Bird of paradise, on the other hand, may only occasionally have a second spathe.
Examples
Heliconia latispatha
Heliconia psittacorum
Heliconia rostrata
Hanging heliconia (Heliconia rostrata) and bird of paradise
