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Justicia spicigera

Schltdl. (1832)

This name is accepted

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

firecracker plant, Mexican honeysuckle, Mexican indigo, orange plume flower

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrub 1.8 m tall.

Stems: Stems 4–angled.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite and decussate (pairs of leaves alternating 90 degrees between nodes). Blades oblong–lanceolate to ovate, to 17.8 cm long. Surfaces almost glabrous or more or less pilose, especially on the costae and veins and on or near the margins. Margins entire. Petiolate. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers arranged in 1–sided racemes, axillary or terminal, few flowered; bracts inconspicuous. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx 4(5)-lobed, the segments usually narrow and equal, sometimes unequal. Corolla orange to red, ca. 4 cm long, tubular, deeply 2-lipped, lower lip recoiled. 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; capsules clavate. (Fruit rare in Hawai‘i.). Seeds 4; On small hooked stalks (modified funiculus) that ejects the seeds from the capsule; embryos usually large; endosperm absent.

Ploidy:

Habitat: In preferably grown in a shady location on fertile; well–drained soil; this species is not salt tolerant.

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
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Vegetative Reproduction

Pollinators

Notes

  • Description digitized by Pumehana Imada
  • Native from Mexico southward to Colombia, this species has a variety of uses. In Mexico, the leaves are steeped in hot water to produce a bluing agent used to whiten fabrics; a dye and medicinal uses are also recorded. In Hawai‘i, sparingly naturalized on

Bibliography

Name Published In: Linnaea 7: 395 (1832)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:172 (Mo? [possibly sparingly nat. in Hālawa Valley]); Staples et al. 2002:4 (NEWNAT/O, Mo, DESCR); Staples & Herbst 2005:87 (KEY, DESCR); Starr & Starr 2013a:33 (WM); Parker & Parsons 2016:17 (H); Brock et al. 2023:110 (K)

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.

Staples, G., & Herbst, D. R. (2005). A Tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press.

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Justicia spicigera Lihue District. Growing on the south bank of the Huleia River. Approximately 20 mature and 7-10 immature naturalized plants scattered throughout understory, growing on the south bank of the Huleia River. Growing in shaded Falcataria and Syzigium dominated alien forest adjacent to Hibiscus tiliaceus riparian strip along Huleia River. Falcataria moluccana, Coffea arabica, Hibiscus tilaceus. Preserved_Specimen Shrub approximately 1.25 meters tall, leaves dull, dark green (new growth lighter). Flowers tubular, bright orange. Fruit not present. Brock, K. 795 Kauai BISH 2016-04-03
2 Justicia spicigera Wahiawa nursery Preserved_Specimen McEldowney, G.A. Oahu BISH 1934-02-27
3 Justicia spicigera Halawa Valley Naturalized in areas along road. Preserved_Specimen Upright shrub 2 m height; corolla orange. Nagata, K.M. 2671 Molokai BISH 1983-07-09
4 Justicia spicigera Waihee Coastal Preserve Spreading in kiawe understory from abandoned house site. Dry coastal scrub in assoc w. Prosopis pallida, Carmona retusa, Bougainvillea sp. and Aristolochia littoralis Preserved_Specimen Starr, F. 12051301 Maui BISH 2012-05-13
5 Justicia spicigera Lihue District. On Kipu Road just before the Outfitters Kauai office in a barbwire fence to pasture to the northeast of the office.Steep slope down to a grassy pature and Huleia Stream. Steep slope to a grassy pasture and Huleia Stream. Cattle pasture with Eucalyptus robusta, Mangifera indica, Ficus microcarpa, Macaranga tanarious, Megathyrus maximus, Alocasia, Spathodea campanulata. Preserved_Specimen 30+ plants in the area, heavily grazed by the cattle and pruned into small bushes. A few or weekly climbing up EucRob and have branches above the level of the cattle with bright orange flowers. Appears to be naturalizeing. Tangalin, N. 5191 Kauai BISH 2021-07-14
6 Justicia spicigera [Hawaiian Islands; U.S.A.; O`ahu; Hawai`i; Honolulu] Cultivated in gardens (yards). Preserved_Specimen Woolliams, K. Oahu BISH
7 Justicia spicigera Laie Abundant. Preserved_Specimen Weed; leaves 2-4.5 long. Higuchi, G.T. 50 Oahu BISH 1971-05-14
8 Justicia spicigera Bishop Museum, Honolulu Growing in an untrimmed hedge in full sun. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 2 m tall; corolla orange. Lau, J. 1042 Oahu BISH 1985-06-04
9 Justicia spicigera Honolulu. Lower Round Top, 2010 Round Top Drive, roadside above stream Disturbed, lowland dry forest. Preserved_Specimen 61m Spathodea campanulata, Justicia botanica, Leucanena sp. Shrub to 1.8m; fls few, in secund raceme; corolla orange. Ray, G. 100 Oahu BISH 1998-03-25
10 Justicia spicigera Honolulu, Liliha St., near Judd St. McInerny's property In hedge. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 7' high; flowers brick-red. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1939-05-31
11 Justicia spicigera Waimea Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, Haleiwa Preserved_Specimen Cory, C. 11 Oahu BISH 1986-03-05
12 Justicia spicigera Lihue, along Hwy 50 just west of Lihue Plantation Mill Preserved_Specimen Shrub up to 8 ft ht; corolla dark orange. Flynn, T.W. 1619 Kauai BISH 1986-04-03
13 Justicia spicigera Kalapana, Puna. UTM: 2142183N, 293448E Preserved_Specimen Upright stalks 6-8 ft tall with tight inflorescences of orange, tubular flowers. Opposite leaves. Parker, J. 161 Hawaii BISH 2011-08-01
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