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Justicia procumbens

Common name:		Family:	Acanthaceae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	58
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - Himalayas to China, Japan and Korea.
Habitat:	Cultivated fields and waste ground in lowland C. and S. Japan[58]. River valleys in damp shady places in China[147, 178]. Moist open places, 700 - 2500 metres in Nepal[272].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Ch'Ih Yen Lao Mu Ts'Ao [E], Chio Chuang [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	procumbens = prostrate;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Scrophulariales. Acanthus family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China; India(Munda)

Physical Characteristics

Annual growing to 0.3m. . The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Cultivated Beds, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge.

Edible Uses

Leaves; Seed.

Young leaves - boiled[105].
Seed - cooked. It is usually made into a flour[105].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antiphlogistic; Depurative; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Febrifuge; Laxative; Ophthalmic; Skin.

The plant is alterative, anthelmintic, antiphlogistic, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge and laxative[147, 240]. A decoction or an infusion is used in the treatment of asthma, cough, backache, flatulence and many skin conditions[218, 240, 272].
The juice of the leaves is used in ophthalmia[240, 272]. A decoction of the leaves is used in the treatment of curvature and diseases of the bone[240].
The juice of the root is used in the treatment of coughs where blood is being coughed up[272].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

We have almost no information on this species and do not know if it will be successful in Britain, though it should succeed if grown as a half-hardy annual.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Acanthaceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[58] Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965
The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[147] ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.

Readers Comments

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Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Justicia+procumbens
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Justicia+procumbens

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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.