8094.000 Justicia L.

ADHATODA Mill.

BELOPERONE Nees

JACOBINIA Nees ex Moricand

MONECHMA Hochst.

Hedrén, M. (1989) Justicia sect. Harnieria (Acanthaceae) in Tropical Africa Acta. Univ. Ups. Symb. Bot. Ups. 29(1) 1-141

Hedrén, M. (1990) The Justicia elegantula complex (Acanthaceae) in tropical Africa Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 103(3) 263-280

Kelbessa, E. (1990) Justicia Sect. Ansellia (Acanthaceae) Acta. Univ. Ups. Symb. Bot. Ups. 29(2) 1-96

Description of the genus

Shrubs or annual or perennial herbs. Leaves simple, opposite, entire. Inflorescences cymose. Bract (0-)1. Bracteoles 2. Calyx 4-5-lobed, to near the base. Corolla 2-lipped; upper lip very shortly 2-lobed; lower deeply 3-lobed with raised palate. Stamens 2; thecae 2, lower with a well-defined whitish tail. Ovary 2-locular with 2 ovules per loculus. Capsule cylindric or clavate, (1-)4-seeded. Seeds usually rough.

Derivation of name: Named after James Justice (1698-1763), a Scottish nurseryman

Worldwide: c. 600 species in tropical and warm countries and temperate N America

DRC: 56 taxa.

Insects associated with this genus:
Calaenorrhinus galenus (Orange Flat, Orange Sprite) Larval foodplant
Sarangesa motozi (Forest elfin) Larval foodplant
Zizula hylax (Gaika blue) Food plant
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Links to taxa:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this genus

SpeciesBotanical divisionsContent
abscondita Champl.
alchorneeticola Champl.
amanda Hedren subsp. amanda Image
anagalloides (Nees) T. AndersonDescription, Image
anselliana (Nees) T. AndersonImage
bequaertii De Wild.Description, Image
betonica L.Description, Image
bolomboensis De Wild.III
bruneelii De Wild.
buchholzii (Lindau) I.Darbysh.III
catenula Champl.
claessensii De Wild.Image
dalaënsis BenoistImage
diclipteroides Lindau
elegantula S. MooreDescription, Image
engleriana Lindau
exigua S. MooreDescription, Image
extensa T.Anderson
flava (Vahl) VahlDescription, Image
gladiatotheca Champl.
heterocarpa T.Anderson subsp. praetermissa Hedrén
insularis T.Anderson
irumuensis (Lindau) Bamps & Champl.
ladanoides Lam.
laxa T.Anderson
lenticellata Champl.
linearispica C.B. ClarkeDescription, Image
lithospermoides Lindau
lovoiensis Champl.
mariae Hedrén
matammensis (Schweinf.) Oliv. Description, Image
maxima (Lindau) S.Moore
mendoncae Benoist
metallorum P.A.Duvign.
mollugo C.B. ClarkeDescription, Image
nanofrutex Champl.
nuttii C.B. ClarkeDescription, Image
nyassana LindauDescription, Image
pedemontana Champl.
phlomoides Mildbr.
phyllostachys C.B. ClarkeDescription, Image
pinguior C.B.Clarke
pynaertii De Wild.
richardsiae Hedrén
ruwenzoriensis C.B. Clarke
scandens VahlDescription, Image
scutifera Champl.
sejuncta Champl.
striata (Klotzsch) BullockDescription, Image
striolata Mildbr.
syncollotheca Milne-Redh.
toroensis S.Moore
tutukuensis Champl.
unyorensis S.Moore
upembensis Hedrén
violaceotincta Champl.

Other sources of information about Justicia:

Our websites:

Flora of Angola: Justicia
Flora of Botswana: Justicia
Flora of Burundi: Justicia
Flora of Caprivi: Justicia
Flora of Kenya: Justicia
Flora of Malawi: Justicia
Flora of Mozambique: Justicia
Flora of Mozambique: cultivated Justicia
Flora of Rwanda: Justicia
Flora of Tanzania: Justicia
Flora of Uganda: Justicia
Flora of Zambia: Justicia
Flora of Zambia: cultivated Justicia
Flora of Zimbabwe: Justicia
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Justicia

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Justicia
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Justicia
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Justicia
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Justicia
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Justicia
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Justicia
JSTOR Plant Science: Justicia
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Justicia
Plants of the World Online: Justicia
Tropicos: Justicia
Wikipedia: Justicia

Copyright: The DRC flora team, 2024-26

The DRC flora team (2026). Flora of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Genus page: Justicia.
https://www.drcongoflora.com/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=1357, retrieved 17 September 2026

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