Justicia pectoralis (freshcut)
Index
- Pictures
- Identity
- Summary of Invasiveness
- Taxonomic Tree
- Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Description
- Plant Type
- Distribution
- Distribution Table
- History of Introduction and Spread
- Risk of Introduction
- Habitat
- Habitat List
- Biology and Ecology
- Climate
- Air Temperature
- Rainfall Regime
- Soil Tolerances
- Means of Movement and Dispersal
- Pathway Causes
- Pathway Vectors
- Impact Summary
- Risk and Impact Factors
- Uses
- Uses List
- References
- Links to Websites
- Contributors
- Distribution Maps
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Top of pageIdentity
Top of pagePreferred Scientific Name
- Justicia pectoralis Jacq.
Preferred Common Name
- freshcut
Other Scientific Names
- Dianthera pectoralis (Jacq.) Murray
- Ecbolium pectorale (Jacq.) Kuntze
- Justicia pectoralis var. latifolia Bremek.
- Justicia stuebelii Lindau
- Leptostachya pectoralis (Jacq.) Nees & Mart.
- Psacadocalymma pectorale (Jacq.) Bremek.
- Rhytiglossa pectoralis (Jacq.) Nees
- Stethoma pectoralis (Jacq.) Raf.
International Common Names
- English: carpenter's grass; death-angel
- Spanish: carpintero; hierba tila; tila; tilo
- French: herbe à charpentiers
Local Common Names
- Brazil: takurushni
- Colombia: curibano; mejorana
- Costa Rica: arbusto carpintero; hierba tilo; te de tilo
- Cuba: hierba de carpintero; té criollo
- Dominican Republic: carpintera; curía; yerba carpintera
- Ecuador: escancel
- Haiti: herbe au charpentier; herbe charpentier; z’herbe charpentier
- Jamaica: fresh cut
- Lesser Antilles: chapantyé; garden balsam; goat barsum; rock balsam; zeb sepanche
- Peru: cariñito
- Puerto Rico: curía
- United States Virgin Islands: sweet mint
EPPO code
- IUIPE (Justicia pectoralis)
Summary of Invasiveness
Top of pageJ. pectoralis is a common weed of roadsides and waste places at elevations near sea level in tropical America and the Caribbean (Woodson et al., 1978; Liogier, 1997; Randall, 2012). This species is also a common ornamental in gardens and house yards, and it is considered one of the most common plants cultivated in gardens in Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands (Adams, 1972; Joseph et al., 1988; Liogier, 1997; Perez et al., 2001). J. pectoralis has not yet been listed as invasive in one particular country or location, but it can be considered as “potentially invasive” in the Caribbean. It has a high likelihood of being transported intentionally by humans, and its potential to escape from cultivation is also high considering that plants spread both by seeds and vegetatively by rooting nodes (Standley et al., 1974).
Taxonomic Tree
Top of page- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Spermatophyta
- Subphylum: Angiospermae
- Class: Dicotyledonae
- Order: Scrophulariales
- Family: Acanthaceae
- Genus: Justicia
- Species: Justicia pectoralis
Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature
Top of pageThe family Acanthaceae includes about 221 genera and 4000 species widespread in both New and Old World Tropics (Scotland and Vollesen, 2000; Stevens, 2012). Species within this family are herbs or woody shrubs, lianas and trees. Member of the Acanthaceae may be recognized by their fruit: a few-seeded, explosively dehiscent capsule within which seeds are borne on hook-like structures called retinacula (the lignified derivatives of the funiculus) (McDade et al., 2009). The genus Justicia is the largest genus in the Acanthaceace, containing about 600 species found in tropical and temperate areas of the Old and New World (Graham, 1988). Most of the species within the genus Justicia grow as perennial plants, herbs and subshrubs, erect or scandent. J. pectoralis was described by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin in 1760, who provided additional data in 1763. A well-marked variety, var. stenophylla, was described by Emery Clarence Leonard in 1958. This variety is found only in South America, whereas J. pectoralis is also found in Central America and the Caribbean.
Description
Top of pageJ. pectoralis plants are erect, ascending or decumbent herbs 30-40 (200) cm tall; stems weak, erect or ascending, often rooting at the lower nodes, sub-quadrangular, grooved, glabrous to puberulous, the hairs retrorse. Leaves narrowly to broadly lanceolate, 5-11 ×0.5-1.8(2.5) cm, apically acuminate, basally acute to obtuse, the cystoliths dense and prominent above, not visible beneath, glabrous to strigose at the costa above, glabrous beneath, the margins entire to undulate; petioles short, to approximately 5 mm long, strigose above. Inflorescences in terminal, lax, spicate panicles to 25 cm long, 15 cm broad, the lower internodes of spicate branches approximately 2 cm long, the rachises and the peduncles glandular puberulous; bracts and bracteoles subulate, 2 mm long, 1 mm wide basally, puberulous and with a few glandular hairs. Flowers with 5-merous calyx, segments narrowly subulate, to 2 mm long, 0.5 mm wide basally, glandular puberulous; corollas white or purple, 8-12 mm long, puberulous outside, the throat transversely plicate, often spotted with dark purple, the tube narrowly funnel-form, basally 1.25 mm broad, 2.5 mm wide at the mouth, the upper lip erect, triangular, 3.5 mm long, 3 mm wide, apically acute, the lower lip spreading, to 5 mm long, 3-lobed, the lobes 1 mm long, the middle lobe 2 mm wide, the lateral lobes 1.5 mm wide, all apically obtuse; stamens exserted to about the tip of the upper lip, the anther cells slightly superposed, basally apiculate, the filaments glabrous. Capsules slender-clavate, to 8 mm long, 2 mm wide, puberulent; seeds orbicular, flattened, 1.5 mm in diameter (Standley et al., 1974; Missouri Botanical Garden, 2014).
Distribution
Top of pageBecause the species J. pectoralis was described in 1760 by NJ Jacquin using material collected in the Caribbean islands of Dominica (Missouri Botanical Garden, 2014), it has been suggested that the native distribution range of this species includes tropical America (from Mexico to South America) and the Caribbean islands (Ezcurra, 2002; Broome et al., 2007; McDade 2009; Missouri Botanical Garden, 2014; USDA-ARS, 2014). However, some authors consider that it is only native to tropical America and that from here it was introduced into the Caribbean islands (Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012).
Distribution Table
Top of pageThe distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.
Last updated: 10 Jan 2020Continent/Country/Region | Distribution | Last Reported | Origin | First Reported | Invasive | Reference | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North America |
|||||||
Antigua and Barbuda | Present | ||||||
Barbados | Present | ||||||
Belize | Present | Native | |||||
Costa Rica | Present | Native | |||||
Cuba | Present | ||||||
Dominica | Present | ||||||
Dominican Republic | Present | ||||||
Grenada | Present | ||||||
Guadeloupe | Present | ||||||
Guatemala | Present | Native | |||||
Haiti | Present | ||||||
Honduras | Present | Native | |||||
Martinique | Present | ||||||
Mexico | Present | Native | |||||
Netherlands Antilles | Present | ||||||
Nicaragua | Present | Native | |||||
Panama | Present | Native | |||||
Puerto Rico | Present | ||||||
Saint Kitts and Nevis | Present | ||||||
Saint Lucia | Present | Introduced | Naturalized | Rare - naturalized | |||
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Present | ||||||
U.S. Virgin Islands | Present | St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John | |||||
United States | Present | Present based on regional distribution. | |||||
-Florida | Present | Introduced | Weed | ||||
South America |
|||||||
Argentina | Present | Native | |||||
Bolivia | Present | Native | |||||
Brazil | Present | Present based on regional distribution. | |||||
-Acre | Present | Native | |||||
-Amazonas | Present | Native | |||||
-Ceara | Present | Native | |||||
-Maranhao | Present | Native | |||||
-Mato Grosso | Present | Native | |||||
-Para | Present | Native | |||||
-Rondonia | Present | Native | |||||
-Roraima | Present | Native | |||||
Colombia | Present | Native | |||||
Ecuador | Present | Native | |||||
French Guiana | Present | Native | |||||
Guyana | Present | Native | |||||
Paraguay | Present | Native | |||||
Peru | Present | Native | |||||
Suriname | Present | Native | |||||
Venezuela | Present | Native |
History of Introduction and Spread
Top of pageCurrently, J. pectoralis occurs only in tropical America (which is considered its native distribution range) and in the Caribbean (Ezcurra, 2002; Missouri Botanical Garden, 2014; USDA-ARS, 2014). In the case of the Caribbean, we do not have enough information to determine if this species is native or exotic. However, if the species was introduced into the Caribbean Islands, its introduction would have had to be early during European colonization.
Risk of Introduction
Top of pageThe risk of introduction of J. pectoralis is moderate. This weedy species spreads by seeds and vegetatively by rooting nodes and is often planted in gardens and house yards (Standley et al., 1974). Consequently, J. pectoralis has the potential to spread its distribution range much further than it has to date.
Habitat
Top of pageJ. pectoralis grows as a weed in roadsides and waste places at elevations from near sea level to 1400 m in tropical America and the Caribbean (Woodson et al., 1978; Liogier, 1997; Daniel, 2005). In Central and South America, it can be found growing in depressions in the understory of moist to wet forests, along streams, and on riverbanks (Durkee, 1986; Ezcurra, 2002; Daniel, 2005). In Costa Rica, J. pectoralis is known from below 1000 m (McDade et al., 2005) and in Panama it is known from tropical moist forests and from premontane wet forests (Croat, 1978).
Habitat List
Top of pageCategory | Sub-Category | Habitat | Presence | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Terrestrial | Managed | Disturbed areas | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Managed | Disturbed areas | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Disturbed areas | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Rail / roadsides | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Managed | Rail / roadsides | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Rail / roadsides | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Urban / peri-urban areas | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Managed | Urban / peri-urban areas | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Urban / peri-urban areas | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Natural grasslands | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Natural grasslands | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Natural grasslands | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Riverbanks | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Riverbanks | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Riverbanks | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Biology and Ecology
Top of pageGenetics
The chromosome number reported for J. pectoralis is n =11 (Daniel and Chuang, 1993).
Physiology and Phenology
In Central America, J. pectoralis has been recorded flowering from January to April (Daniel, 2005).
Climate
Top of pageClimate | Status | Description | Remark |
---|---|---|---|
Af - Tropical rainforest climate | Preferred | > 60mm precipitation per month | |
Am - Tropical monsoon climate | Preferred | Tropical monsoon climate ( < 60mm precipitation driest month but > (100 - [total annual precipitation(mm}/25])) | |
As - Tropical savanna climate with dry summer | Preferred | < 60mm precipitation driest month (in summer) and < (100 - [total annual precipitation{mm}/25]) | |
Aw - Tropical wet and dry savanna climate | Preferred | < 60mm precipitation driest month (in winter) and < (100 - [total annual precipitation{mm}/25]) | |
Cs - Warm temperate climate with dry summer | Tolerated | Warm average temp. > 10°C, Cold average temp. > 0°C, dry summers |
Means of Movement and Dispersal
Top of pageJ. pectoralis spreads by seeds and vegetatively by rooting nodes (Standley et al., 1974). Capsules are explosively dehiscent facilitating dispersal of seeds over short distances. Seeds can also be secondarily dispersed by water (Andel, 2000).
Pathway Causes
Top of pageCause | Notes | Long Distance | Local | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
Escape from confinement or garden escape | Yes | Yes | Randall (2012) | |
Garden waste disposal | Yes | Yes | Randall (2012) | |
Internet sales | Seeds and plants sold online - http://davesgarden.com | Yes | Yes | |
Medicinal use | Yes | Yes | Joseph et al. (1988) | |
Ornamental purposes | Planted in gardens - common in Cuban gardens | Yes | Perez et al. (2001) |
Pathway Vectors
Top of pageVector | Notes | Long Distance | Local | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
Debris and waste associated with human activities | Seeds and roots | Yes | Yes | Randall (2012) |
Seeds and plants sold online - http://davesgarden.com | Yes | Yes |
Impact Summary
Top of pageCategory | Impact |
---|---|
Cultural/amenity | Positive |
Economic/livelihood | Negative |
Environment (generally) | Positive and negative |
Human health | Positive |
Risk and Impact Factors
Top of page- Has a broad native range
- Abundant in its native range
- Pioneering in disturbed areas
- Tolerant of shade
- Benefits from human association (i.e. it is a human commensal)
- Fast growing
- Reproduces asexually
- Modification of successional patterns
- Hybridization
- Rapid growth
- Rooting
- Highly likely to be transported internationally accidentally
- Highly likely to be transported internationally deliberately
- Difficult to identify/detect as a commodity contaminant
Uses
Top of pageThe genus Justicia has been described as rich in amine metabolites, coumarins and lignans (Al-Juaid and Abdel-Mogib, 2004; Verdam et al., 2012). J. pectoralis is widely used as a medicinal herb in tropical America and the Caribbean (Oliveira and Andrade, 2000; Perez, et al., 2001). This species is often used for the treatment of inflammation, influenza, and other infections (Perez et al., 2001; Madaleno, 2009). Decoctions of the whole plant are used to treat pulmonary infections, to relieve coughs, and as an expectorant (Joseph et al., 1988). Leaves are also mixed with bark resin of Virola spp and are used as an ingredient in hallucinogenic snuff (Macrae and Towers, 1984).
Uses List
Top of pageDrugs, stimulants, social uses
- Hallucinogen
- Religious
Environmental
- Amenity
Medicinal, pharmaceutical
- Source of medicine/pharmaceutical
- Traditional/folklore
Ornamental
- Potted plant
References
Top of pageAcevedo-Rodríguez P; Strong MT, 2012. Catalogue of the Seed Plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany, 98:1192 pp. Washington DC, USA: Smithsonian Institution. http://botany.si.edu/Antilles/WestIndies/catalog.htm
Adams CD, 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica. Mona, Jamaica: University of the West Indies.
Al-Juaid SS; Abdel-Mogib M, 2004. A novel podophyllotoxin lignan from Justicia heterocarpa. Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 52:507-509.
Andel TRvan, 2000. Non-timber forest products of the North-West District of Guyana. Part II. Georgetown, Guyana: Tropenbos-Guyana Programme. http://www.tropenbos.org/file.php/114/tbi_guyana_series_8b.pdf
Balick MJ; Nee M; Atha DE, 2000. Checklist of the vascular plants of Belize. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden, 85:1-246.
Broome R; Sabir K; Carrington S, 2007. Plants of the Eastern Caribbean. Online database. Barbados: University of the West Indies. http://ecflora.cavehill.uwi.edu/index.html
Daniel TF; Chuang TI, 1993. Chromosome Numbers of New World Acanthaceae. Systematic Botany, 18:283-289.
Durkee LH, 1986. Family Acanthaceae. Fieldiana, 18:1-87. [Flora Costaricensis.]
Ezcurra C, 2002. [English title not available]. (El género Justicia (Acanthaceae) en Sudamérica austral.) Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 89:262-263.
Graham VA, 1988. Delimitation and infra-generic classification of Justicia (Acanthaceae). Kew Bulletin, 43(4):551-624.
Graveson R, 2012. Plants of Saint Lucia. http://www.saintlucianplants.com
Hokche O; Berry PE; Huber O, 2008. Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela (New catalogue of the vascular flora of Venezuela). Caracas, Venezuela: Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela, 860 pp.
Idárraga-Piedrahita A; Ortiz RDC; Callejas Posada R; Merello M, 2011. Flora of Antioquia. (Flora de Antioquia.) Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares, vol. 2. Listado de las Plantas Vasculares del Departamento de Antioquia:939 pp.
Liogier AH, 1997. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands. San Juan, Puerto Rico: University of Puerto Rico.
Madaleno IM, 2009. Medicinal Knowledge in Cuba - domestic prescriptions using front and backyard biodiversity. In: Conference on International Research on Food Security, Natural Resource Management and Rural Development., Germany: University of Hamburg. http://www.tropentag.de/2009/abstracts/full/396.pdf
McDade LA; Kiel C; Tripp E, 2009. Acanthaceae. The Tree of Life Web Project. http://tolweb.org/Acanthaceae/20878
McDade LA; Tripp EA; Daniel TF, 2005. Acanthaceae of La Selva Biological Station. La Selva, Costa Rica: La Selva Biological Station. http://clade.ansp.org/botany/people/mcdade/La_Selva_Acanths.pdf
Missouri Botanical Garden, 2014. Tropicos database. St. Louis, Missouri, USA: Missouri Botanical Garden. http://www.tropicos.org/
Perez G; Rivero R; Pardo Z; Rodriguez J, 2001. Evaluation of antioxidant activity of Justicia pectoralis Jacq. (Evaluación de la actividad antioxidante de Justicia pectoralis Jacq.) Revista Cubana de Investigacion Biomedica, 20:30-33.
Profice SR; Kameyama C; Côrtes ALA; Braz DM; Indriunas A; Vilar T; Pessoa C; Ezcurra C; Wasshausen D, 2014. Acanthaceae. (Acanthaceae.) Lista de Espécies da Flora do Brasil. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. http://reflora.jbrj.gov.br/jabot/floradobrasil/FB21673
Randall RP, 2012. A Global Compendium of Weeds. Perth, Australia: Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, 1124 pp. http://www.cabi.org/isc/FullTextPDF/2013/20133109119.pdf
Scotland RW; Vollesen K, 2000. Classification of Acanthaceae. Kew Bulletin, 55:513-589.
Stevens PF, 2012. Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/
USDA-ARS, 2014. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online Database. Beltsville, Maryland, USA: National Germplasm Resources Laboratory. https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysearch.aspx
Woodson Jr RE; Schery RW; Durkee LH, 1978. Flora of Panama. Part IX. Family 177. Acanthaceae. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 65:155-283.
Wunderlin RP; Hansen BF, 2008. Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants. Tampa, Florida, USA: University of South Florida. http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/
Zuloaga FO; Morrone O; Belgrano MJ; Marticorena C; Marchesi E, 2008. [English title not available]. (Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares del Cono Sur (Argentina, Sur de Brasil, Chile, Paraguay y Uruguay).) Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden, 107:1-3348.
Distribution References
Balick MJ, Nee M, Atha DE, 2000. Checklist of the vascular plants of Belize. In: Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden, 85 1-246.
CABI, Undated. CABI Compendium: Status inferred from regional distribution. Wallingford, UK: CABI
Durkee LH, 1986. Family Acanthaceae. In: Fieldiana, 18 1-87.
Graveson R, 2012. Plants of Saint Lucia., http://www.saintlucianplants.com
Hokche O, Berry PE, Huber O, 2008. New catalogue of the vascular flora of Venezuela. (Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela)., Caracas, Venezuela: Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela. 860 pp.
Idárraga-Piedrahita A, Ortiz RDC, Callejas Posada R, Merello M, 2011. Flora of Antioquia. (Flora de Antioquia). In: Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares, 2 Vasculares del Departamento de Antioquia. 939 pp.
Jørgensen P M, León-Yánez S, 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. 1182 pp.
Profice SR, Kameyama C, Côrtes ALA, Braz DM, Indriunas A, Vilar T, Pessoa C, Ezcurra C, Wasshausen D, 2014. (Acanthaceae. (Acanthaceae.) Lista de Espécies da Flora do Brasil)., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. http://reflora.jbrj.gov.br/jabot/floradobrasil/FB21673
Wunderlin RP, Hansen BF, 2008. Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants., Tampa, Florida, USA: University of South Florida. http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/
Zuloaga FO, Morrone O, Belgrano MJ, Marticorena C, Marchesi E, 2008. [English title not available]. (Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares del Cono Sur (Argentina, Sur de Brasil, Chile, Paraguay y Uruguay)). In: Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden, 107 1-3348.
Links to Websites
Top of pageWebsite | URL | Comment |
---|---|---|
GISD/IASPMR: Invasive Alien Species Pathway Management Resource and DAISIE European Invasive Alien Species Gateway | https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m93f6 | Data source for updated system data added to species habitat list. |
Contributors
Top of page24/02/14 Original text by:
Julissa Rojas-Sandoval, Department of Botany-Smithsonian NMNH, Washington DC, USA
Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez, Department of Botany-Smithsonian NMNH, Washington DC, USA
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