Justicia flava

Family: Acanthaceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows 50-120 cm high. It can be erect or trailing. It has fine hairs. The stem is woody at the base. The leaves are opposite. The leaf stalks are 1.5 cm long. The leaves are oval and 8 cm long by 3 cm wide. The flowers are in clusters at the end of the plant. This dense spike is 20 cm long. The flowers are yellow. The fruit is a 4 seeded capsule. It is 8 mm long. It is densely hairy and splits in half. The seeds are brown to black.

There are between 300-600 Justicia species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows from sea level to 2,300 m altitude. In dry regions it grows as an annual. It grows in open habitats.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia

How it is used for food

The leaves are cooked as a vegetable. They are used in soup or stew. The leaves are burnt to produce vegetable salt.

It is a minor vegetable of only local importance. It is used as a famine food.

Edible parts

Leaves, shoots, vegetable

How it is grown

The leaves are only available during wet times.

Its other names

Local names

Afema, Budebeli, Honona, Honnona, Ntumunum, Yogbo

Synonyms

Adhatoda flava (Vahl) Nees; Justicia sulcata (Vahl) Vahl; Justicia suaveolens (Nees) Lindau;