Description
(Tropaeolum hookerianum austropurpureum)
A recently discovered species with rich-purple flowers, tinged with redder or bluer shades. Superficially this similar to a colour form of T. hookerianum under which name it was initially described. It has now been shown to be morphologically and genetically distinct and has been elevated to a full species.
This has entered cultivation in the UK under both names but also, regrettably , under the name of lepidum, which is totally incorrect as lepidum is in fact a synonym of azureum – which is a totally different species no matter how you figure things!
Known only from one small area of Chile, IV, Coquimbo, where it grows at an altitude of just 40m. among rock and scrub on South facing hillsides.