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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

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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

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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

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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
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