Costarican Justicia

Appearance

Perennial herb or semi-shrub, grows to a height of 2 m; young stems are square, older rounds, internodes are 2-7 cm long. The leaves are supportive; petiole up to 2 cm long; the blade is ovate to elliptical, 5–15 cm long and 2–5.5 cm wide, glabrous, usually wedge-shaped at the base, wavy at the edge, pointed at the apex. The flowers form hollow or terminal grapes; flower stalks are about 1 cm long; bracts narrowly spathulate, spathulate to almost round, 8-10 mm long; leaflets linear, of equal length; calyx tips are the same, lanceolate, 5.5-6.5 mm long; crown is double-lipped, 1.1–1.2 cm long, greenish or yellow-green, with purple or reddish stripes, upper lip is bilobed, about 6 mm long, with pointed spikes, lower lip is trilobal, 7–8 mm long, spikes they are obtuse at the apex, the middle is slightly longer than the lateral; the rods are 4, protruding from the crown tube; the testicle is upper. The fruits are capsules.

Distribution

Costa Rica's endemic has so far been found in several mountain groups, mainly in the western and central parts of the country.

Habitat

The habitat is moist, especially foggy forests. The locality lies at an altitude of 900 to 1600 m.