Streptosolen

Streptosolen is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Solanaceae. It is closely related to the genus Browallia, within which it was originally placed. The single species, Streptosolen jamesonii, the marmalade bush or fire bush, is an evergreen shrub bearing loose clusters of flowers which change gradually from yellow to red as they develop, resulting in an overall appearance resembling orange marmalade (whence the name), found in open woodlands in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru. In its native Ecuador, the plant has the Spanish common names flor de quinde (= 'hummingbird flower'), flor del sol (= 'flower of the sun') and jaboncillo (= 'little soap (plant)').

[Note: the South American Spanish word quinde (hummingbird) is derived from the Quechua word quindi, having the same meaning. The word passed into Spanish because there was no pre-existing Spanish word for a family of birds found only in the New World.]

The red colouration (at maturity) of the flowers of Streptosolen jamesonii is typical of that of bird-pollinated flowers, as also is their lack of a strong scent and secretion of a great deal of nectar. The iridescent green hummingbird species Chlorostilbon poortmani, the short-tailed emerald, is a frequent visitor to the flowers of Streptosolen jamesonii, pollinating them as it hovers to sip their nectar.

Hunziker (2001) gives the further common names for the plant in Ecuador nacha, agua de oro (= 'water of gold'), and guizcho de bosque.

Two other English vernacular names sometimes applied to the shrub are Orange Browallia and Yellow Heliotrope shrub

The plant has become naturalized in certain localities in Hawaii.