Mysterious plant with pretty red flowers (Solved)

I was given a packet of seed pods collected from southern China earlier this year, and was only told that they had come from a carpet of green with pretty red flowers.





Not in their prime condition now but they were lush and resplendent back in late September.

<Stroking my imaginary goatee>

I know what they are but what do you think they are, hmmm?

 

Hmmmm..........Salvia splendens misterQ ?? Mainly grown as an annual bedding plant but actually perennial. Though it is tender and not usually worthy a second season.

 

It certainly looks rather like S.splendens but that isn't a native Chinese plant and Salvia seeds form in the calyxes not in seed pods.

 

Many thanks fellow goatee twiddler, that is exactly what I think they are too.

The mention of the seed pods was a poor choice of words on my behalf - the seeds were indeed extracted from inside the dry flower heads above the calyxes.

I was just told that the plants were seen growing in the wild and didn't appear to be cultivated. So, could the seeds have been dispersed by the wind or by birds from distant lands? That, I am not sure of, and it doesn't matter.


Again, thanks again for the confirmations.

 

If it is S.splendens then it is very distant lands as it is native to Brazil! Bird poop is the most likely explanation with the seed having come from somewhere closer where they are being cultivated.
Check it out for seed as they produce seed fairly freely.

 

It looks like the species Salvia splendens (ie the one that occurs in the wild), rather than a cultivar. The Species can grow up to 9 feet tall in Brazil, I have had them up to 5 feet in the UK. I think the cultivars were developed from this and to me are rather squat and vulgar.

I have propagated them in a light box and had them in flower for 12 months in a year.