Departamento de Cundinamarca, Munic. de Villapinzon. Via Villapinzon a las Fuentes del rio Bogota, cerca del Paramo de Santa Barbara. En quebrada umbria con suelo cubierto por capa de Sphagnum
Found wild in the Maranhao region of Brazil and then cultivated at the University of Texas in Austin from where it was distributed to various zoologists as a possible food plant for Heliconius butterfly larvae.
Cord. Oriental, Dep. Norte de Santander; region del Sarare: Quebrada de La China (afluente del rio Cubugon), entre Santa Librada y El Carano, 830-600 m. alt