SimplePlant

Acanthaceae

Fire spike

Odontonema callistachyum (Schltdl. & Cham.) Kuntze

Family
Acanthaceae
Genus
Odontonema

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Fire spike: Odontonema Callistachys
Photo: Rennett Stowe from USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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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

More in Odontonema

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.