Hairy Fournwort
Tetramerium nervosum
Family: Acanthaceae
Perennial to almost a foot high. Starts flowering in September with cream flowers with pink or purple markings, and can continue until June.
Grow in part to filtered sun, moderate water with good drainage. Hardiness undetermined but at least into the low teens °F. Photo by David Ochoa, iNaturalist
Great plant to help during low nectar periods as it blooms when many other things are not (especially in winter).
Larval food plant for the following butterfly species:
Chara Checkerspot (Dymasia dymas ssp. chara)
Pale-banded Crescent (Anthanassa tulcis)
Rosita Patch (Chlosyne rosita)
Fritzgaertner's Flat (Celaenorrhinus fritzgaertneri)
Tetramerium is from tetras– four and meris– part, meaning four parts, while nervosum means having distinct veins or nerves. There are 30 species of Tetramerium found in the Americas, ranging from the southwestern United States to Bolivia, especially in tropical dry forests.
Found on dry open ground, slopes, and along arroyos and washes from 3,000-5,000 ft. in southern Arizona to the south through Mexico and Central America to northern South America and the Galapagos.
Typical growth habit, though often plants can appear totally without leaves. Photo by Max Licher, SEINET