The red powderpuff (Calliandra haematocephala Hasskarl) is a large graceful shrub or small tree in the Mimosoideae, the mimosa subfamily of the Fabaceae or legume family. There are around 150 species of Calliandra found in the Neotropics. The red powderpuff is native to Bolivia.

The genus takes its name from the flowers which are small and mostly composed of long extravagant stamens, but aggregated into spherical inflorescences. Calliandra is built from the Greek kalos meaning beautiful and andros meaning male, a reference to the pollen bearing floral parts. The species epithet is composed of haimatos "blood" and cephala "head" referring to the large red clusters of flowers.

The leaves are evenly pinnate with the final pair of leaflets larger than the lower pairs. The leaves display sleep movements; the leaflets fold forward at night and spread during the day. New leaves emerge a yellowish-bronze and turn metallic green when mature.

Fungal spores are common on the surfaces of leaves. In the tropics and subtropics where temperatures and humidity are high, fungal pathogens are a widespread problem for plants.

In a study done by Sheryl A. Brenner and John T. Romeo of the University of South Florida, four species of fungal spores were commonly found on the phylloplane or leaf surface of Calliandra haematocephala. The Calliandra leaves were found to contain some unique and rare secondary compounds--nonprotein imino acids.

In laboratory tests, the imino acids reduced the germination of the spores and retarded the growth of the germ tube in a species of Aspergillus, a plant pathogen. The imino acids were specific to one disease-causing fungus and had little or no effect against other fungal pathogens. ("Fungitoxic Effects of Nonprotein Imino Acids on Growth of Saprophytic Fungi Isolated from the Leaf Surface of Calliandra haematocephala", Sheryl A. Brenner and John T. Romeo, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Apr 1986)