Squirrel's Tail

Shrubby perennial herb up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves opposite, more or less narrowly lanceolate to ovate or elliptic, 2-16 cm long, hairless or finely velvety, base somewhat decurrent along the petiole; margin entire to crenate; petiole 0-2 cm long. Inflorescences in terminal spikes 2-12 cm long.Bracts overlapping, white to pale green with more or less distinct darker green or purplish veins. Flowers 8.5-14 mm long, usually on one side of the spike, white with 2 pinkish ridges or spots in the corolla throat, finely velvety and with scattered stalked glands. Capsule 11-20 mm long more or less densely velvety.

Frequent

Widespread in tropical africa, South Africa, tropical Asia and introduced in America.

Justicia betonica is a species of flowering plant, a shrub in the family Acanthaceae. It goes by the common name squirrel's tail and paper plume.