ACANTHACEAE

Justicia odora

Bushveld Justicia

Wildflowers

Local Context

Only found along the small stream that intersects the Buffalo trail. Elsewhere, it is widespread in tropical Africa and the Arabian Peninsula across various habitats with a preference for rocky hillsides and riverine scrub.

Identification

Growth: Much-branched shrub or herb up to 1.8 m tall.
Flowers: Lemon yellow to bright yellow, often with red or purple veins or patches, shaped like a short tube widening into two lips.
Leaves: Narrowly egg-shaped to oval up to 7.5 cm long, occasionally with hairs on the margins.
Fruit: Hard cylindrical capsule up to 1.5 cm long containing seeds.

Did You Know?

In botanical Latin, odora means fragrant or odorous. In this case, it highlights the plant's highly aromatic roots.

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