Acanthaceae
Fire spike
Odontonema callistachyum
- Family
- Acanthaceae
- Genus
- Odontonema
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Common names
By language (2)
- Chinese
- 鸡冠爵床
- English
- Fire spike, Firespike, Purple fire spike, Purple firespike, Purple flame
Synonyms
- Aphelandra longiracemosa Lindl.
- Justicia callistachya Schltdl. & Cham.
- Justicia callistachya Cham. & Schltdl.
- Odontonema breedlovei V.M.Baum
- Odontonema geminatum (Donn.Sm.) S.F.Blake
- Odontonema lilacinum Kuntze
- Thyrsacanthus callistachyus (Schltdl. & Cham.) Nees
- Thyrsacanthus callistachyus var. amplus Nees
- Thyrsacanthus geminatus Donn.Sm.
- Thyrsacanthus lilacinus Lindl.
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Forb/herb, Shrub
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Pacific Basin: introduced
Photos

Photo: Rennett Stowe from USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Rolf Engstrand, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Rolf Engstrand, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
More in Odontonema
- Cardinal's guard flowerOdontonema tubaeformeAcanthaceae
- Mottled toothedthreadOdontonema cuspidatumAcanthaceae
- Odontonema laxumAcanthaceae
- Odontonema bracteolatumAcanthaceae
- Odontonema rubrumAcanthaceae
- Schomburgk's fountain plantOdontonema schomburgkianumAcanthaceae
- Odontonema brevipesAcanthaceae
- Odontonema lindaviiAcanthaceae
- Odontonema albiflorumAcanthaceae
- Odontonema albumAcanthaceae
- Odontonema auriculatumAcanthaceae
- Odontonema dissitiflorumAcanthaceae
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.