Acanthaceae Week: Justicia spicigera from Delhi

[Gurcharan Singh]

Justicia spicigera Schltdl., Linnaea 7: 395-396 395 1832.

syn: Jacobinia atramentaria (Benth.) S.F. Blake; Jacobinia mohintli (Nees) Hemsl.; Jacobinia spicigera (Schltdl.) L.H. Bailey; Justicia scarlatina (S.F. Blake) V.A.W. Graham

Evergreen shrub with 4-angled stems, oblong-lanceolate to ovate up to 15 cm long leaves, and orange or red flowers in one-sided racemes; corolla tube narrow gradually expanding into 2-lipped limb, lower lip coiled.

Commonly planted in Ridge and in Herbal garden Delhi, usually grown as hedge. Leaves are placed in water to produce bluing used in whitening in clothes, also yields a dye  used medicinally.

Common names: Mexican honeysuckle, mohintli, firecracker bush, orange plume

-- 

Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/