Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Justicia chinensis in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 16.
today: The current name for this species is Dicliptera chinensis (L.) Juss.
original Latin description
Justicia herbacea, foliis ovatis, floribus lateralibus, pedunculis trifloris, bracteis ovalibus.
English translation
Justicia herbaceous; with leaves ovate; with flowers lateral; with peduncles three-flowered; with bracts oval.
| Justicia | Justicia |
| herbaceous; | herbacea - nominative singular feminine of group A adjective herbaceus, -a, -um; modifies Justicia |
| with leaves | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| ovate | ovatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective ovatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| with spikes | spicis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun spica, -ae |
| terminal; | terminalibus - ablative plural feminine of group B adjective terminalis, -is, -e; modifies spicis |
| with flowers | floribus - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun flos, floris |
| lateral | lateralibus - ablative plural masculine of group B adjective lateralis, -is, -e; modifies floribus |
| with peduncles | pedunculis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun pedunculus, -i |
| three-flowered; | trifloris - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective triflorus, -a, -um; modifies pedunculis |
| with bracts | bracteis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun bractea, -ae |
| oval. | ovalibus - ablative plural feminine of group B adjective ovalis, -is, -e; modifies bracteis |