Heliconias are found throughout the Neotropics and are actually quite common in the rainforest. They are also often found as ornamental plants in gardens and landscaped areas.
Abiotic Factors:
Sunlight is essential for most plant growth and hence, for primary consumers. Heat is another key factor for this plant. Lack of adequate warmth can cause forestall plant growth. Most heat comes from direct sunlight but some is from advection or geothermal sources. Of course there are many other abiotic factors, like availability of water since the Heliconia plant needs water in order to flourish and also provide an ecosystem for other living organisms. 2
Dependence on Light:
Plants are able to acclimate to highly fluctuating light environment and evolved short- and long-term light acclamatory responses that are dependent on chloroplasts retrograde signaling. They also participate in transduction and synchronization of systemic retrograde signaling in response to differential light exposure of distinct leaves. Regulation of intra- and inter-cellular chloroplast retrograde signaling is dependent on the developmental and functional stage of the plastids. Firstly, chloroplast biogenic control of nuclear genes, for example, signals related to photosystems and pigment biogenesis during early plastid development; secondly, signals in the mature chloroplast induced by changes in photosynthetic electron transport, reactive oxygen species, hormones and metabolite biosynthesis; thirdly, chloroplast signaling during leaf senescence. 1