Appearance
"O. tubaeforme" is an upright shrub up to 2 m or 3 m tall. Its elliptical, glossy leaves are 10 cm by 20 cm with a 2 cm petiole and arranged opposite each other on the stem. It has terminal spikes of waxy red to burgundy flowers, 30 mm long with 5 mm petals, and blooms in summer and autumn. It is grown as an annual frost-tender ornamental garden plant.
Naming
The genus name ""Odontonema"" refers to the toothed filaments of the stamen, "nema" meaning "thread" and "odonto" "toothed". In English this species is known as cardinal flower, cardinal's guard, or fire spike.References:
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