Kingdom: Plantae
(Unranked): Angiosperms
(Unranked): Eudicots
(Unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Acanthaceae
Genus: Justicia
Species: J. carnea
Binomial name: Justicia carnea
Synonym: Jacobinia carnea
Common names: Brazilian Plume, Flamingo Flower, Jacobinia, Pine-Bur Begonia
Justicia carnea is a frost tender perennial shrub from Central American. Its flower heads contain many tubular flared flowers that bloom throughout the summer. The flowers tubes are flared at the mouth and curving outward from the center of the spike on which the flowers are arranged. The pink to rose-purple corolla is about 6 cm long, slender and slightly ampliate upward. The upper lip is erect and curved over the anthers at the tip; lower lip is reflexed to almost a right-angle and clawed. There is a white form of this shrub.
It has large, coarse oblong leaves which are prominently veined and pointed on their ends and they can reach 20cm in length. The mauve under surface is thinly puberulent, especially on the nerves.
Justicia branches are as delicate will not withstand wind.
Top surface of a leaf.
The under surface of a leaf.
