http://www.mobot.org/mobot/photoessays/largephotoessay.asp?fldrloc=Madidi_2&imgorder=0049 http://www.google.com/search?q=Scha...TAsTX2QXU-4GACg&ved=0CDMQsAQ&biw=1308&bih=612 Something in the Acanthaceae?
It's just the rachis they come from. It was flowering when I got it, but they dropped once winter started. When I look up images of Justicia brandageana it looks similar but different. The leaves are similar to what I have in shape, color and gloss. But the rachis looks different. Mine is light green and fuzzy and spikey looking.
I'd still say Justicia. They're native to my area, and there's a huge amount of diversity between rachis forms even on the same plant sometimes.
In Florida, most of the Justicia brandegeana are fairly small, but there's also tall (2 meters at least) plants like the bright red "shrimp cocktail".