Justicia scandens Vahl

Erect to scandent perennial (rarely annual) herb with 1 to several stems from a creeping rhizome; stems to 1.3 m long, subglabrous or bifariously or uniformly puberulous (rarely pubescent or pilose); plant not drying black. Leaves subglabrous to puberulous along midrib and veins; petiole to 6(8) cm long; lamina ovate to elliptic or broadly so, largest (5)7-20 x 3.5-10.5 cm; apex acuminate to cuspidate with an acute to obtuse tip; base attenuate to truncate. Flowers in lax axillary dichasia, often forming loose panicles towards apex; peduncles, axes and pedicels subglabrous to puberulous, with or without sparse to dense stalked capitate glands; peduncles 1-4.5 cm long; branches to 2.5 cm long; main axis bracts foliaceous, smaller, sessile and subcordate to cordate upwards; secondary bracts and bracteoles linear, 1-2 mm long. Calyx 3-5 mm long, finely puberulous or sparsely so with short stubby non-capitate glandular hairs, usually ciliate; lobes linear-lanceolate, acute to acuminate. Corolla white to pale yellow or yellowish green with red to mauve markings at base of lower lip, 6-9 mm long, puberulous; tube 4-5 mm long and c. 2 mm diameter, slightly curved ventrally; upper lip (2)3-5 mm long, flat or slightly hooded; lower lip deflexed, 4-5 mm long, deeply 3-lobed. Filaments 2-3 mm long; thecae 0.5-1 mm long, oblong or broadly so, glabrous or hairy, lower with acute curved appendage c. 0.75 mm long. Capsule 10-15 mm long, uniformly puberulous or sparsely so. Seeds circular in outline, with dense glochidiate hairs, 2-3 mm diameter, glochidiae c. 0.25 mm long.