HELICONIA PSITTACORUM

This is the inflorescence of Heliconia psittacorum. The reddish pointed structures are called bracts. These tough, leathery structures protect the actual flower, which is yellow and quite delicate. The hummingbird that comes to this flower has a bill precisely shaped to fit into the flower. When the bird feeds, it receives a meal of nectar and in return, the plant's flower is pollinated.