Justicia pectoralis N. Jacquin, Acanthaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 8 (Go to the risk assessment).

Common name(s): [more details]

English: death-angel, freshcut

Spanish: curia

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Ascending or decumbent herbs to 1.5 m tall, slender, branching, often rooting at the lowest nodes, the branches bifariously pubescent; leaves on petioles 2-12 mm long, the blades narrowly lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, mostly 5-12 cm long, narrowly long-acuminate, acute or obtuse at the base, glabrous or nearly so; inflorescences terminal and axillary, the lax panicles composed of a few opposite or alternate spikes 3-12 cm long, the flowers distant; bracts and bracteoles subulate, 0.5-1 mm long; calyx lobes 5, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, 2-2.5 mm long, glandular-pubescent; corolla pale purple or white with purple, 7-9 mm long, the lips almost as long as the tube; stamens included, thecae muticous at base, 0.5-1 mm long, divergent, one smaller; pollen 2-porate, rectangular, with apparently one row of few, rather large insulae on either side of each aperture; capsule slender-clavate, 5-6 mm long, puberulent"  (Standley et al., 1974; pp. 396-397).

Habitat/ecology:  In Guatemala (native), "Damp or wet thickets, often along streams, sea level to 1,100 m"  (Standley et al., 1974; pp. 396-397).

Propagation:  Seed, rooting from nodes (Standley et al., 1974; pp. 396-397).

Native range:  Mexico to South America, Caribbean islands (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	Standley, Paul C./Williams, Louis O./Gibson, Dorothy Nash (1974) (pp. 396-397)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Chiapas, Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Tabasco, Veracruz, Yucatan
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Justicia pectoralis, please let us know.