# Firecracker-flower

*Crossandra infundibuliformis*

Its seed pods explode with a distinctive cracking sound when exposed to moisture, throwing seeds several feet away to propagate.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Lamiales › Acanthaceae › Crossandra
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Tropical forest understories, shady hillsides, and cultivated gardens.
- **Diet:** Autotrophic (photosynthesis)
- **Range:** India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, Central America
- **Size:** 30-90 cm (1-3 feet) tall
- **Lifespan:** 2-5 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat fragmentation in native regions and competition from invasive understory weeds.
- **Safe to approach?:** This plant is entirely harmless and safe to touch. You can approach closely to admire its vibrant orange blossoms. If you find dry, ripe seed pods, placing a drop of water on them will cause them to pop open harmlessly in your hand.

## About

Crossandra infundibuliformis ( firecracker flower ), is a species of flowering plant in the family Acanthaceae, native to southern India and Sri Lanka.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/00036cbe-c883-44f9-9b1f-d5213da74762
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/344178
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossandra infundibuliformis
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/191462422/medium.jpeg (Greg III Espera, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.