Justicia nutans N. L. Burman, Fl. Indica, 10. 1768; Clinacanthus burmanni Nees, nom. illeg. superfl.; C. nutans var. robinsonii Benoist.

Shrubs to 1 m tall. Stems terete, striate, glabrescent. Petiole 0.3-2 cm, sulcate, bifariously pubescent; leaf blade lanceolate-ovate, lanceolate, or linear-lanceolate, 7-12 × 1-4 cm, both surfaces pubescent when young then glabrescent except abaxially pilose along veins, secondary veins 4-6 on each side of midvein and abaxially elevated, base cuneate to rounded, margin subentire to sinuate-crenate, apex acuminate. Racemes 1 to several at or near shoot apex, usually 3 to several forming a terminal panicle; rachis gland-tipped pubescent; bracts and bracteoles linear, ca. 8 × 2 mm, abaxially gland-tipped pilose, apex acute. Calyx 0.9-1.3 cm; lobes linear, outside gland-tipped pilose, apex acute. Corolla dull red with a green base, 3-4.2 cm, outside gland-tipped pilose, inside glabrous except for a ring of trichomes ca. 5 mm above base; tube basally cylindric for ca. 5 mm and ca. 3 mm wide then gradually widened to ca. 6 mm at mouth; lower lip 1-2 × ca. 1 cm, with yellow streaks; upper lip triangular, 1-2 × ca. 0.5 cm, erect, apex emarginate; lobes ovate, 3-5 × 1-2 mm. Stamens exserted from mouth of corolla; filaments 1-1.5 cm, glabrous; anthers ovate-linear, 4-5 × ca. 1 mm, muticous. Style 3-3.7 cm, base sparsely pubescent. Capsule ca. 2 cm, pilose. Seeds ca. 2 mm in diam. Fl. Oct-Jan, fr. Mar.

This species is used medicinally.

Thickets; below 700 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan [Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam].