Appearance
It is an annual plant growing to 20–75 cm tall, with a thick, but soft stem. The leaves are spirally-arranged, 2.5–9 cm long and 1–2.5 cm broad, with a deeply toothed margin. The flowers are pink, red, mauve, lilac, or white, and 2.5–5 cm diameter; they are pollinated by bees and other insects, and also by nectar-feeding birds. The ripe seed capsules undergo explosive dehiscence.
Naming
Common names in other languages include ''mírame lindo'' in Spanish, ''fèngxiānhuā'' in Mandarin Chinese, ''bóng nước'' or ''phượng tiên hoa'' in Vietnamese, ''bongseonhwa'' in Korean, ''hōsenka'' in Japanese, "dopati" in Bengali, ''elepe'' in Hawaiian, ''Koodalu'' in Sinhalese ''séfēr'' in Jibbali and ''kamantigi'' in Chamorro and Filipino.The Okinawan folk song "Tinsagu nu Hana" and the 1956 Korean film ''Touch-Me-Not'' are both named for the flower.
Habitat
It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant, and has become naturalised and invasive on several Pacific Ocean islands.References:
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