''Pachystachys coccinea'', the Cardinals guard, is a perennial evergreen shrub native to

French Guiana French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, and

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

It has ovate to elliptic dark leaves and red flowers on terminal spikes, and can grow to be two to six feet tall, though cultivated plants tend to be shorter. The genus name ''Pachystachys'' is derived from the Greek for thick spike in reference to the flowering spikes. The species name ''coccinea'' is derived from the Latin for scarlet in reference to the deep red flowers.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3360157 Acanthaceae Flora of Peru Flora of Brazil