Species
+

Justicia carnea Lindl.

Brazilian-Plume, flamingo-flower, king's-crown, plumeflower

Climate known 46 photographs
Add one to my plants Sow seed

Every figure on this page is derived from public data by a stated rule and says its source; nothing here is written by a person or a model, except the Wikipedia passage, which is quoted and marked as such. How it is made.

Summary

Justicia carnea, the Brazilian plume flower, Brazilian-plume, flamingo flower, or jacobinia, is a flowering plant in the family Acanthaceae.

Text from Wikipedia, “Justicia carnea”, CC BY-SA 4.0, quoted as written. Kept separate from everything derived here.

Family
Acanthaceae
Described by
Lindl.
Native to
Brazil Southeast, Brazil South, Argentina Northeast +1
Wild records
800 in range· 534 open

At a glance

Warmest month
27°C
Feb, mean day; nights 19 °C (CHELSA)
Rain
1801mm/yr
12 wet months · peak Jan 244 mm (CHELSA)
Light
18–37DLI
mol/m²/day, winter to summer, open sky (CHELSA shortwave)
In short condensed by rule from the cultivation cards · not written by a person
Rain rule: a summer growing season, March to September in the northern hemisphere (September to March at the habitat, southern). Habitat rain 1801 mm a year, wettest January at 244 mm, driest August at 84 mm (habitat calendar, southern hemisphere). Open sky over the habitat: 18 to 37 mol/m²/day. Cold floor 5.6 °C (1st-percentile habitat night, NASA POWER).
Each sentence is one card's own one-line form, written by the same rule as the card (Its year, Rain, Light, Temperature); the note cannot say what a card does not. Months are given for the northern hemisphere (set your site in Settings to change this), and the habitat's own alongside. The cards · the figures.

Also known as Amphiscopia ciliata (Nees) Nees; Amphiscopia pohliana Nees; Amphiscopia pohliana var. angustifolia Nees; Amphiscopia pohliana var. pohliana; Cyrtanthera carnea (Lindl.) Alph.Wood and 42 more.

Cultivation

Its year Rain rule: a summer growing season, March to September in the northern hemisphere (September to March at the habitat, southern).

This species’ habitat figures, and what two fixed rules read from them.

The rain rule reads a summer growing season: 70% of the year's rain (1266 mm of 1801 mm) falls in September to March, warmer than the year (wet-season mean 21.1 °C against a yearly mean of 19.4 °C). Months are the habitat's, southern hemisphere; shifted six months for a northern-hemisphere collection: March to September.

Read from the median year of CHELSA monthly rainfall and mean temperature across the envelope cells: the rain rule takes the smallest set of months carrying 70% of the rain and calls it winter when its mean is more than half a degree below the year's, summer when more than that above, and neither in between; the temperature rule, used only under 120 mm, names the cooler six months when they are at least a degree cooler than the other six. Months are shifted for the other hemisphere only where the temperature curve gives a season to reverse. A reading of the curves, not an observation of the plant.

Rain Habitat rain 1801 mm a year, wettest January at 244 mm, driest August at 84 mm (habitat calendar, southern hemisphere).

This species’ habitat figures, with their source.

1801 mm a year at the habitat, 1266 mm of it September to March. Wettest month January at 244 mm, driest August at 84 mm. Across the envelope cells the year's total runs 1458 mm to 2326 mm (10th to 90th percentile of each cell's own year) (median year across the envelope cells, CHELSA; habitat calendar, southern hemisphere).

CHELSA monthly precipitation, median year across the envelope cells. The rain that falls where the species is recorded; nothing about how the plant takes water.

Light Open sky over the habitat: 18 to 37 mol/m²/day.

This species’ habitat figures, with their source.

Open sky over the habitat: 18 to 37 mol/m²/day across the year (daily light integral, median year across the envelope cells, CHELSA; the lowest 10th-percentile month across the cells is 16, the highest 90th-percentile month 42).

CHELSA shortwave radiation at each envelope cell, a daily-mean flux taken to a daily total and converted at 2.07 mol of PAR per MJ. The sky over the habitat, measured; what reaches a plant under a rock, a shrub or a shade cloth is not.

Warmth and air Cold floor 5.6 °C (1st-percentile habitat night, NASA POWER).

This species’ habitat figures, with their source.

Temperature

Coldest: the 1st-percentile night over 44 years at the typical cell is 5.6 °C, the absolute minimum 1.1 °C, no frost in 44 years (NASA POWER daily minima). Warmest: the 99th-percentile day is 36.4 °C. Monthly means: coldest night 11.1 °C in July (across the envelope cells 7.8 °C to 14.6 °C), warmest day 26.8 °C in February (median year across the envelope cells, CHELSA). Cold floor: 5.6 °C, which is the 1st-percentile night over 44 years at the typical cell (NASA POWER).

NASA POWER daily minima and maxima 1981–2024 at the typical cell, lapse-corrected to its elevation; CHELSA monthly means, median year across the envelope cells, CHELSA. The cold floor is the figure named in its sentence. Not a measured survival limit for any plant in a pot.

Humidity

Relative humidity at the habitat: 62 to 66% across the year (monthly means, median year across the envelope cells, CHELSA). A figure about the air, saying nothing about how the plant takes water.

CHELSA relative humidity, median year across the envelope cells.

The figures the cards read from are in Climate below, and where they came from in Natural habitat.

Climate across the habitat

Habitat climate through the yearMean day from 20 °C in Jul to 27 °C in Feb; mean night from 11 °C in Jul to 19 °C in Feb. The cold quarter, Jun to Aug, is the three months around the coldest night. 1801 mm of rain a year, most in Jan. The bands show the 10th to 90th percentile across 551 habitat cells. Over 44 years at the typical cell the absolute minimum was 1.1 °C and the 99th-percentile day 36.4 °C; neither is dated to a month. Beneath: daily light integral and relative humidity through the year, each on its own scale.10°20°30°40°36.4° 99th-percentile day (undated)1.1° lowest night in 44 yrs (undated)°C · day and nightcold quarter0100200300400mm rainDLI 18–37RH 62–66 %JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
day night rain 10th–90th percentile across 551 habitat cells cold quarter: the three months around the coldest night extremes over 44 years at the typical cell, marked at the edge: undated DLI, mol/m²/dayRH %each on its own scale
Figures by month
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day °C27 / 25–2927 / 25–2926 / 24–2824 / 22–2621 / 18–2320 / 17–2220 / 17–2221 / 19–2422 / 19–2523 / 21–2625 / 23–2726 / 24–28
Night °C19 / 17–2319 / 17–2318 / 16–2216 / 14–2013 / 10–1812 / 8–1511 / 8–1512 / 9–1514 / 10–1615 / 13–1817 / 14–2018 / 16–21
Rain mm244 / 164–351201 / 150–285163 / 123–259120 / 83–185123 / 77–16896 / 49–165112 / 44–16284 / 34–130146 / 77–191163 / 124–229159 / 126–217190 / 145–270
DLI36 / 33–4035 / 32–3832 / 29–3425 / 23–2920 / 19–2418 / 16–2319 / 17–2424 / 21–2927 / 23–3232 / 28–3636 / 33–4037 / 34–42
RH %66 / 62–7066 / 62–7066 / 62–7065 / 61–6965 / 62–6764 / 61–6763 / 60–6662 / 58–6764 / 58–6865 / 60–7065 / 60–6965 / 60–69

Each figure is the median across the 551 grid cells holding the 784 in-range records, with the 10th–90th percentile span across those cells after the slash where it differs. Extremes and elevation were read at the typical cell 2374:2611 (-28.725, -49.425). Over 44 years there: absolute minimum 1.1 °C, 1st-percentile night 5.6 °C, 99th-percentile day 36.4 °C. Normals: CHELSA V2.1 1981–2010 climatology, 0.05° cells (each the mean of ~36 1 km pixels). Envelope: median and 10th–90th percentile of each month across the 551 distinct grid cells holding the 784 in-range records; extremes and elevation at the typical cell 2374:2611 (its coldest month's mean night nearest the median across cells); its position is the cell centre. Extremes: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) daily 1981–2024, cell -28.50_-49.375, lapse-corrected -439 m at 6.5 °C/km. Elevation: ETOPO 2022, 28 m (cell mean).

Natural habitat

Native range as published by WCVP; the marker is where the records are densest and decides nothing: the climate was read across every in-range record's cell, not at the marker.
Openly licensed records inside the range, framed on where they fall.
NativeBrazil Southeast, Brazil South, Argentina Northeast, Paraguay· introduced: Azores, St.Helena, Myanmar, Cook Is., Hawaii, Mexico Central, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Venezuelan Antilles, Windward Is., Colombia, Ecuador
Kew's description“subshrub or shrub” · “wet tropical”· quoted from WCVP, RBG Kew (CC BY 4.0); not derived here
Map marker-27.613, -48.505 · in the densest population, 470 records (59% of those in range)
Evidence usedThe map marker and the climate envelope rest on all 800 georeferenced records inside the native range; the map shows only the 534 openly licensed ones, which alone would put the marker 20 km away. 515 records outside the range (gardens, roadsides, misidentifications) ignored. 16 in-range records are placed to worse than 10 km and stay on the map but off the climate.
The map markerthe map marker: the openly licensed record nearest the middle of the densest 1° population inside the densest 2° block of the 800 in-range records; it decides nothing.

Photographs

Justicia carneaJusticia carneaJusticia carneaJusticia carneaJusticia carneaJusticia carneaJusticia carneaJusticia carnea

Photographs: (c) desertnaturalist, some rights reserved (CC BY); (c) Oscar Marín, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA); (c) E Santos Ortega, some rights reserved (CC BY) (2); no rights reserved · CC0 (3); (c) Pedro Alvaro Neves, some rights reserved (CC BY).

Photographs: iNaturalist did not answer when this page was built; what is shown came from the sources that did.

Papers naming this species

Works whose title or abstract names Justicia carnea, most cited first, from OpenAlex (CC0). A mention, not a cultivation source: nothing on this page is drawn from them.

Phytochemical profile, antioxidant, α-amylase inhibition, binding interaction and docking studies of Justicia carnea bioactive compounds with α-amylase
Akpovwehwee A. Anigboro, Oghenetega J. Avwioroko, Oghenenyore Andy Ohwokevwo, Beruoritse Pessu (2020) · Biophysical Chemistry
Beautés fatales: Acanthaceae species as invasive alien plants on tropical Indo‐Pacific Islands
Jean‐Yves Meyer, Christophe Lavergne (2004) · Diversity and Distributions
Haematological and biochemical studies on Justicia carnea leaves extract in phenylhydrazine induced-anemia in albino rats
Chimaraoke Onyeabo, Ngozi K. Achi, Chima A. Ekeleme‐Egedigwe, Chidinma U. Ebere (2017) · Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Technologia Alimentaria
Nutritive properties of aqueous extract Justicia carnea leaves and its effects on haematological and some biochemical indices of anaemia induced male wistar albino rats
Orjiakor Chidiogo Anthonia, Uroko Robert Ikechukwu, Njoku Obioma Uzoma, Ezeanyika Lawrence Uchenna Sunday (2019) · Biomedical Research
Safety assessment of oral administration of ethanol extract of Justicia carnea leaf in healthy wistar rats: hematology, antioxidative and histology studies
Emmanuel Sina Akintimehin, Kayode Olayele Karigidi, Tope Samuel Omogunwa, Foluso Olutope Adetuyi (2021) · Clinical Phytoscience
Brazilian Plume (Justicia carnea L.) Leaf Wine-Colored Extract for Natural Dyeing of Mordant-Functionalized Cellulosic Fabric: Color Strength, Coordinates, and Fastness
Jamiu Mosebolatan Jabar, Olugbenga Oludayo Oluwasina, Odunayo Michael Agunloye, Afolabi Clement Akinmoladun (2025) · Chemistry
Proximate Composition, Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant, Antidiabetic and Anti-inflammatory Properties of Justicia carnea Leaf Powder
Olugbenga David Oloruntola, Simeon Olugbenga Ayodele, Samuel Adebowale Adeyeye, Oluwagbemiga Samuel FASUHAMİ (2022) · Black Sea Journal of Agriculture
Haematological and biochemical studies on Justicia carnea leaves extract in phenylhydrazine induced-anemia in albino rats [pdf]
Chimaraoke Onyeabo, Ngozi K. Achi, Chima A. Ekeleme‐Egedigwe, Chidinma U. Ebere (2017) · Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Technologia Alimentaria
Green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles using Justicia Carnea
Olufunso O. Abosede, Kehinde Gabriel Obiyenwa (2022) · International Journal of Chemical Studies

Similar habitat climate the 6 species whose habitat climate is nearest this one's: mean day and night, month by month, and rain on a log scale, in calendar order, so a habitat with the same seasons six months out is far, not near. Nothing else counts: not range, not family.

Other Justicia 5 in the reference

History & registers

Where this page came from built 2026-09-20 · dossier v2 · node
gbif.species answeredcarried from build of 2026-09-19 (offline re-derivation; the backbone was not asked)
gbif.synonyms answeredcarried from build of 2026-09-19 (offline re-derivation; the backbone was not asked)
gbif.vernacular answeredcarried from build of 2026-09-19 (offline re-derivation; the backbone was not asked)
wcvp.distribution answered
gbif.occurrences answeredGBIF occurrence download https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.3h4zam
climate answered
wikidata answeredcarried from build of 2026-09-19 (rederive); that build: carried from build of 2026-09-19 (rederive)
wikipedia answeredcarried from build of 2026-09-19; this build: skipped
inat.taxon not asked
inat.photos.wild answeredcarried from build of 2026-09-19; this build: skipped
inat.photos.cultivated nothing to reportcarried from build of 2026-09-19 (rederive); that build: carried from build of 2026-09-19 (rederive)
commons nothing to reportcarried from build of 2026-09-19 (rederive); that build: carried from build of 2026-09-19 (rederive)
gbif.media answered
openalex answeredcarried from build of 2026-09-19; this build: skipped

Every upstream is recorded as having answered, reported nothing, or refused. Only “nothing to report” is ever shown as an absence. Records came from 127 datasets via GBIF.org; each carries its own licence.