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Pachystachys lutea
Family Name: | Acanthaceae |
Common Name: | Lollypops, Golden Candles, Golden Shrimp Plant, Lollipop Plant, Yellow Shrimp Plant |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) |
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Plant Growth Form | Shrub |
Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
Biogeography
Native Distribution | Peru |
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Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
Local Conservation Status | Non-native (Horticultural / Cultivated Only) |
Description and Ethnobotany
Growth Form | A perennial and evergreen shrub, growing up 1 m tall. |
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Foliage | Dark green, lance-shaped, simple leaves, measuring up to 15 cm long, and are oppositely arranged along the stems. |
Flowers | The true white flowers are narrow and tubular in shape. Each flower is partly covered by showy and overlapping yellow bracts which make up the 4-sided inflorescence. The yellow bracts resemble the overlapping scales on a shrimp, hence the common name. |
Etymology | The genus Pachystachys means thick spick in Greek, which refers to the flowering spike inflorescence. The specific epithet lutea means yellow, which refers to the inflorescence colour. |
Landscaping Features
Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers |
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Landscape Uses | General, Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens |
Plant Care and Propagation
Light Preference | Full Sun |
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Water Preference | Moderate Water |
Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils |
Foliar
Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
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Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Opposite |
Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Lanceolate) |
Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
Foliar Margin | Entire - Wavy / Undulate |
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 4.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Dicot) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
Flower Colour(s) | Yellow / Golden, White |
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Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
Flowering Period | Free-Flowering |
Image Repository
Others
Master ID | 1001 |
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Species ID | 2295 |
Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |