A hybrid swarm between the hummingbird‐pollinated Jamaican endemicsColumnea urbaniiStearn andC. rutilansSwartz(Gesneriaceae)is described in terms of morphological, chemical and cytological characters.The importance of man‐made ecological niches to the establishment of hybrids is outlined and contrasted with the paucity of niches in undisturbedColumneahabitats. Niche availability determines the effectiveness of dissemination of both hybrid and pure seed.With the variation pattern of the Jamaican hybrids in mind, the possibility of hybridization between columneas elsewhere should be considered in systematic assessment of difficult groups in the ge