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Justicia procumbens L.

Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia.

 

Habitat - common in open sandy spots. Justicia procumbens L. Acanthaceae. CN: Water willow. Native to the paleotropics; elsewhere naturalized. A slender, often tufted, prostrate or ascending, branched annual. Stems are 10 to 40 cm long. Leaves are elliptic to oblong-ovate or ovate, 7 to 20 mm long, 5 to 20 mm wide, obtuse at both ends, and entire or with slightly crenated margins. Flowers are pink, 6 to 7 mm long, and borne in terminal, rather dense cylindric spike 1 to 5 cms long and about 5 mm in diameter. Bracts and calyx-teeth are green, linear-lanceolate, and hairy. Fruit is slightly hairy and about 4 mm long. Traditionally used in folk medicine and in Taiwan as an ingredient of herbal tea.

 

Synonym(s):

Ecbolium procumbens (L.) Kuntze

Rostellaria adenostachya Nees

Rostellaria japonica Carrière

Rostellaria procumbens Nees

Rostellularia adenostachya Nees

Rostellularia juncea Nees

Rostellularia media Nees

Rostellularia mollissima Nees

Rostellularia pogonanthera F.Muell.

Rostellularia procumbens Nees

Rostellularia sarmentosa Zoll. ex Nees

 

Ref and suggested reading:

FRIM Flora Database

www.theplantlist.org/tpl/record/kew-2329315

www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?428155

zipcodezoo.com/Plants/J/Justicia_procumbens/

www.stuartxchange.org/WaterWillow.html

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Uploaded on August 8, 2012
Taken on August 8, 2012