Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Justicia hyssopifolia in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 15.
today: The current name for this species is Justicia hyssopifolia L.
original Latin description
Justicia fruticosa, foliis lanceolatis integerrimis; pedunculis trifloris ancipitibus; bracteis calyce brevioribus.
English translation
Justicia shrubby; with leaves lanceolate [and] entire; with peduncles three-flowered [and] two-edged; with bracts than the calyx shorter.
| Justicea | Justicea |
| shrubby; | fruticosa - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective fruticosus, -a, -um; modifies Justicia |
| with leaves | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| lanceolate | lanceolatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective lanceolatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| entire; | integerrimis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective integerrimus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| 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 |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| two-edged; | ancipitibus - ablative plural masculinne of group B adjective anceps, anceps, anceps; modifies pedunculis; |
| with bracts | bracteis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun bractea, -ae |
| than the calyx | calyce - ablative singular of third declension masculine noun calyx, calycis; object of brevioribus |
| shorter. | brevioribus - ablative plural feminine of comparative degree of group B adjective brevis, -is, -e; agrees with bracteis |