Bird-of-paradise-flower, Poinciana

Erythrostemon gilliesii is a shrub in the legume family. It is commonly known as bird of paradise, but it is not related to the bird of paradise genus Strelitzia. It grows to 1–4 m tall, depending on rainfall.

Medicine men of peoples indigenous to the Amazon Rainforest used this plant and the similar Caesalpinia pulcherrima, which they called ayoowiri, for curing fever, sores, and cough. However, the seeds and the green seed pods of this plant are toxic, provoking severe vomiting and other abdominal symptoms.