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Justicia gendarussa
| Family Name: | Acanthaceae |
| Synonyms: | Adhatoda subserrata, Gendarussa vulgaris |
| Common Name: | Willow-leaved Justicia, Warer Willow, Daun Rusa, Gardarusa, Ganda Rusa |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Shrub |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Maximum Height | 1.5 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | India to Myanmar |
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Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | A small, erect, fast-growing, branched shrub with attractive, lanceolate (shaped like a lance-head), ascending to spreading green leaves, and produces dainty white flowers. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves simple, entire, opposite, lanceolate, green, 7 to 14 cm long and 1 to 2.5 cm wide, glabrous on both sides, apex acute-acuminate. |
| Stems | Stems multi-branched, glabrous (smooth; not hairy or rough), terete (having a circular transverse section), thickened at and above the nodes and internodes. |
| Flowers | Inflorescences on spikes, up to 10 cm long and 1.5 cm across; flowers subsessile (with a slight stalk), white with purple streaks and spots inside, 1.6 to 2 cm long. |
| Fruit | Fruit capsules club-shaped, glabrous, 4-seeded, about 12 mm long. |
| Cultivation | It prefers light, sandy soil in sun or partial shade. Likes constant moisture and well draining soil. Fast-growing, tolerable to many soil types and growth conditions, and generally free from pest and diseases. Propogate by stem cuttings and seeds. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when established enough to handle. |
| Etymology | The genus epithet 'Justicia' was named after James Justice, a horticulturalist from Scotland (1730-1763). The derivation of its species epithet 'gendarussa' derivation is obscure, but possibly taken from a local name for this species. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Food (Herb or Spice) Medicinal: Plant is traditionally used to treat chronic rheumatism, headache, earache, fever, cough, bronchitis, inflammation, bruises, paralysis of one side of the body and facial paralysis. The entire plant is emetic (an agent that induces vomiting) and febrifuge (an agent that lowers the body temperature and mitigates or removes fever). Others: The dried leaves are traditionally used to repel insects from clothing. |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade, Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Prominent Young Flush Colour(s) | Green |
| Young Flush Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Opposite |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Lanceolate) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acuminate |
| Foliar Base | Acute |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 4.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Dicot) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | White |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Symmetry | Bilateral |
| Inflorescence Type | Spike |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 864 |
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| Species ID | 2159 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
