Justicia incana T.Anderson

Species

Angiosperms > Lamiales > Acanthaceae > Justicia

Characteristics

Usually much-branched shrublet to 50 cm tall, often forming cushions; young branches densely white sericeous with downwardly directed appressed hairs. Leaves grey, densely sericeous over both surfaces; petiole 0-2 mm; lamina lanceolate to oblanceolate or narrowly oblong, largest 1.3-2.2 x 0.3-0.5(0.7) cm; apex subacute to rounded, base attenuate, usually decurrent to stem. Flowers solitary in axils of foliaceous bracts, not congested towards stem tips; bracteoles small, grey, lanceolate, 2-3 mm long, densely greyish sericeous. Calyx 5-lobed with 5th lobe 0.5-2/3 the other 4, 5-8 mm long, densely greyish sericeous; lobes lanceolate, obtuse, with single central vein. Corolla white, sometimes with faint mauve lines on lower lip, 11-14 mm long, puberulous; tube 6-8 mm long; upper lip 5-7 mm long, slightly hooded; lower lip 6-9 mm long, oblong-obovate, lobes 2-3(4) mm long, rounded. Filaments 3-4 mm long; anthers hairy, thecae only opening about half their length, 1 (upper) to 1.5 (lower) mm long, lower with acute appendage c. 0.5 mm long. Capsule c. 12 mm long, glabrous or sparsely puberulous at the very tip. Seeds not seen.
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Much-branched, woody, gnarled dwarf shrubs to compact or spreading bushes up to 1 x 1 m. Branches often arched, densely white-tomentose with T-shaped hairs, angular or ribbed. Leaves more or less subsessile, densely covered with grey or white felty indumentum, narrowly oblanceolate, elliptic or obovate, up to 22 x 2-4 mm, thinnish in texture. Flowers solitary or occasionally in pairs, subsessile. Bracteoles linear, densely tomentose, 1-3 mm long. Calyx sparsely to densely white-hairy. Corolla 13-18 mm long, white, often with purple veining. Capsule 14 mm long, puberulous or glabrous. Seeds more or less spherical if single, or flattened if paired, ±3 mm in diameter, beige or grey, darkly mottled.
Much-branched, woody shrub, up to 1 m high. Branches often arched, densely white-tomentose. Leaves subsessile; blade narrowly obovate or elliptic or occasionally obovate, up to 22 x 2-4 mm, thin, densely silvery grey or whitish pubescent. Flowers: solitary, occasionally in pairs; calyx lobes 5; corolla 10-13 mm long, white, often with purple veining; Nov., Dec., Apr. Fruit 13-18 mm long, glabrous or puberulous.
Perennial shrub or dwarf shrub, 0.2-1.0 m high; branches often arched, densely white-tomentose with T-shaped hairs, angular or ribbed. Leaves narrowly oblanceolate, elliptic or obovate, indumentum felty, under high magnification hairs T-shaped. Bracteoles small, linear, densely tomentose. Flowering time all year. Seeds ± spherical if single, or flattened if paired, beige or grey, darkly mottled.
Shrub, up to 1 m high. Leaves and twigs with T-shaped hairs, silvery grey. Leaves thin, oblanceolate or elliptic or occasionally obovate. Flowers solitary, occasionally in pairs. Calyx lobes 5, each lobe without median green stripe and pale or white margins. Mature capsule 14 mm long. Flowers white, often with purple veining.
Small shrub, up to 1 m tall, with gnarled woody stems at base, young stems grey-velvety. Leaves sessile, ± elliptic, covered with grey felt-like hairs, leathery. Flowers 1(2) per leaf axil, subsessile, white, often with purple veining.
Silvery grey, gnarled, spreading shrublet to 40 cm, rooting from branches; hairs T-shaped. Leaves opposite, grey-mealy, thin-textured, subsessile. Flowers mostly solitary in axils, often with axillary tufts, subsessile, white.
Life form perennial
Growth form shrub
Growth support -
Foliage retention -
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 1.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

Light -
Soil humidity 1-3
Soil texture 4-7
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) -

Usage

Uses -
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment soaking
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Distribution

Justicia incana world distribution map, present in South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:50890-1
WFO ID wfo-0001044768
COL ID -
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Justicia incana