Justicia betonica

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Lamiales Family: Acanthaceae Genus: Justicia

squirrel’s tail, squirrel’s-tail, white shrimp plant

img

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Coarse perennial herbs 0.5–2.5 m tall.

Stems: Tinged purple, glabrous to puberulent in lines on the upper stem.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite and decussate (pairs of leaves alternating 90 degrees between nodes). Blades broadly ovate to elliptic, 9–22 cm long, 3.5–12 cm wide. Surfaces green; lower surfaces slightly paler, sparsely strigillose along the margins and veins. Margins entire. Petioles 0.5–4 cm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in axillary and terminal spikes. each inflorescence subtended by 3 white bracts with conspicuous green veins, the large outer bract ovate, ca. 15 mm long, 10 mm wide, the inner 2 about as long, ca. 5 mm wide. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx green, 5-lobed, the lobes narrowly lanceolate, ca. 5 mm long. Corolla tubular, pale lavender with a white spot outlined with purple on the lower lip, tubular, 14–17 mm long, distinctly 2-lipped, the lower lip 3-lobed. Stamens 2, often unequal, inserted on the corolla alternate with the lobes, sometimes 1 or more reduced to staminodes; anthers dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, 2-carpellate; ovule placentation axile; style filiform, simple.

Fruit: Capsules with two cells; usually dehiscing explosively; clavate; somewhat compressed parallel to the line of dehiscence; 2–lobed by protrusion of the seeds; 1.3–2 cm long; puberulent. Seeds 4; On small hooked stalks (modified funiculus) that ejects the seeds from the capsule; embryos usually large; endosperm absent.

Ploidy: 2n = 28; 34

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Specimens

Notes

  • Description digitized by Pumehana Imada
  • Often cultivated; in Hawai‘i often escaping and forming large stands. This plant is potentially a serious weed (Neal, 1965; Degener & Degener, 1962a).

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 15 (1753)

Other References

Wagner, W. L., Herbst, D. R., & Sohmer, S. H. (1999). Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai'i, Vols. 1 and 2 (No. Edn 2). University of Hawai'i and Bishop Museum Press.

Wagner et al. 1990:172 (K, O, Mo, L, M, H); Staples & Herbst 2005:87 (KEY, DESCR); Manzitto-Tripp et al. 2022 (retain Justicia in favor of Nicoteba)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Justicia betonica Honolulu: Makiki; 2266 Tantalus Drive Roadside weed. Preserved_Specimen Teraoka, W. 43 Oahu BISH 1979-06-22
2 Justicia betonica Haiku Gardens, Kaneohe Abundant. Preserved_Specimen Higuchi, G.T. 69 Oahu BISH 1971-05-08
3 Justicia betonica Along Kalanianiole Hwy, 100 yds E of Kamokona Rd Found along with Psidium, Macaranga, Ipomoea and Mucuna. Preserved_Specimen Ishikawa, S. 206 Hawaii BISH 1973-01-11
4 Justicia betonica Nene Road, beyond Airport, near coast E of Hilo Very common or abundant in roadside depressions in edges of dense scrub-forest, dominated by Melastoma. Preserved_Specimen Fosberg, F.R. 55661 Hawaii BISH 1975-03-14
5 Justicia betonica Growing in abandoned garden mauka of road next to Limahuli Stream Next to a stream. Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Kauai BISH 1978-06-16
6 Justicia betonica Koloa, Lawai, end of Hailima road roadside, weedy second growth forest; Eucalyptus, ironwood Preserved_Specimen Trauernicht, C. 188 Kauai BISH 2007-10-10
7 Justicia betonica Kananui [sp?], near town of Maalehu Roadside weed. Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 5752 Molokai BISH 1976-03-11
8 Justicia betonica Puuwaawaa. Near transect T21 Common along access track. In Pennisetum rangeland with scattered dryland relicts. Preserved_Specimen Takeuchi, W.N. 5705 Hawaii BISH 1989-12-26
9 Justicia betonica Lihue, on Ahukini Rd, west of the Umi street intersection. Growing in a cultivated Bougainvillea hedge in full sun, and spreading through adjacent field. Preserved_Specimen Brock, K. 940 Kauai BISH 2016-12-01
10 Justicia betonica University of Hawaii campus, Honolulu. Bachman Hall Growing in full sun. Preserved_Specimen Lau, J. 1190 Oahu BISH 1985-07-07
11 Justicia betonica Near Hukilau Loop, Waialua Common weed. Preserved_Specimen Afualo, D. 42 Oahu BISH 1975-03-08
12 Justicia betonica Lyon Arboretum, Honolulu. Makai of Cottage A, near border of Paradise Park porperty Growing with tall grass and weeds. Preserved_Specimen Baker, R.F. 98 Oahu BISH 1975-04-26
13 Justicia betonica Lyon Arboretum, Honolulu. Makai of Cottage A, near border of Paradise Park porperty Growing with tall grass and weeds. Preserved_Specimen Baker, R.F. 98 Oahu BISH 1975-04-26
14 Justicia betonica Hawaii National Park. Park Cottage 1 Preserved_Specimen Fagerlund, G.O. 475 Hawaii BISH 1943-03-19
15 Justicia betonica Growing in abandoned garden mauka of road next to Limahuli Stream Next to a stream. Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Kauai BISH 1978-06-16
16 Justicia betonica Koele Dangerous weed straying along roadside from garden. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 28556 Lanai BISH 1963-08-15
17 Justicia betonica Manmade sand dunes near Waikea Golf Course, leeward side Near a golf course. Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Kauai BISH 1977-09-24
18 Justicia betonica Nuuanu Pali Dr. Above where the housing development ends Roadside, shaded, moist Preserved_Specimen Faccenda, K. 1896 Oahu BISH 2021-05-29
19 Justicia betonica Lyon Arboretum, Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Lee, R. 25 Oahu BISH 1957-12-09
20 Justicia betonica Jct. of Hwy 11 and road to Pahala Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 5229 Hawaii BISH 1984-01-16
21 Justicia betonica 42 Coelho Way, Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1943-06-01
22 Justicia betonica Honolulu: Young St. & Punahou Preserved_Specimen Aiona, I. Oahu BISH 1941-07-26
23 Justicia betonica Hanalei District, land of Kilauea, Kilauea Town Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 5693 Kauai BISH 1976-02-26
24 Justicia betonica W Maui, Wailuku District, along Kahekili Hwy, above Waihee Pt Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 5811 Maui BISH 1988-03-04
25 Justicia betonica Honolulu: Manoa Valley; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Krajina, V.J. Oahu BISH 1962-04-09
26 Justicia betonica Lawai. Hailima Road Common. Preserved_Specimen Flynn, T.W. 732 Kauai BISH 1984-01-05
27 Justicia betonica Puuwaawaa. Near transect T21 Common along access track. In Pennisetum rangeland with scattered dryland relicts. Preserved_Specimen Takeuchi, W.N. 5705 Hawaii BISH 1989-12-26
28 Justicia betonica East Maui, Makawao Parking lot. Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 5674 Maui BISH 1986-07-12
29 Justicia betonica Honolulu, Makiki In garden. Preserved_Specimen Fosberg, F.R. 27074 Oahu BISH 1946-09-21