Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Justicia adhatoda in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 15.
today: The current name for this species is Adhatoda vasica Nees
original Latin description
Justicia arborea, foliis lanceolato-ovatis, bracteis ovatis persistentibus, corollarum galea concava.
English translation
Justicia tree-like; with leaves lanceolate-ovate; with bracts ovate [and] persisting; of the corollas with a hood concave.
| Justicea | Justicea |
| tree-like; | arborea - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective arboreus; modifies Justicia |
| with leaves | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| lanceolate-ovate; | lanceolato-ovatis - combining form of group A adjective lanceolatus, -a, -um + ablative plural neuter of group A adjective ovatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| with bracts | bracteis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun bractea, -ae |
| ovate | ovatis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective ovatus, -a, -um; modifies bracteis |
| [and] | added for smoother reading |
| persisting; | persistentibus - ablative plural feminine of present active participle of third conjugation verb persisto, persistere, perstiti, —; modifies bracteis |
| of the corollas | corallarum - genetive plural of first declension feminine noun corolla, -ae |
| with a hood | galea - ablative singular of first declension feminine noun galea, -ae |
| concave. | concava - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective concavus, -a, -um |