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Family Acanthaceae
Golden candle
Pachystachys lutea Nees

GOLDEN SHRIMP PLANT

Scientfici names Common names
Pachystachys lutea Nees Golden shrimp (Engl.) 
Justicia lutea (Nees) Ruiz & Pav. ex B. D. Jacks .[illegitimate] Yellow shrimp plant (Engl.)
  Lollipop plant (Engl.)
  Shrimp plant (Engl.)
Pachystachys lutea Nees is an accepted name. The Plant List

Other vernacular names
ASSAMESE: Hunboronia.
BRAZIL: Camarao.
MAYA: Camaron amarillo.


Gen info
- The specific epithet is Latin for "yellow."
- It has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award pf Garden Merit. (5)

Botany
Golden candle is a subtropical shrub growing 80 centimeters or taller. Leaves are opposite, narrow-ovate, up to 12 centimeters long, with entire margins. Flowers are in a large terminal spike, up to 10 centimeters long, with large, golden yellow cordate bracts. Corolla is white. Fruit is a capsule.

Distribution
- Native to Peru.
- Ornamental cultivation.
- Common in Baguio gardens.
- Propagated by cuttings or seeds.


Uses
Folkloric
- No reported folkloric medicinal use in the Philippines.
- In the Caribbean, one species is used as a hallucinogenic beverage.
- Also used to treat fever, coughs, colds, and hair loss.
- The Mishing tribe of Assam use the roots to treat pneumonia. (2)

Studies
Occupational Contact Dermatitis / Low Allergenic Potential:
The allergenic potential of golden shrimp plant is probably low, requiring prolonged contact for sensitization, more likely to occur in greenhouse gardeners handling potted plants rather than outdoor gardeners tending landscape plants.   (1)
Antibacterial Testing / No Effect: Study of Golden Shrimp Plant for antibacterial property showed no activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The study author suggests the ethanol extraction exterminated the tannins which is responsible for antibacterial property of many plants. (4)

Availability
- Cultivated.

Updated July 2021 / September 2016

PHOTOS / ILLUSTRATIONS
Photos © Godofredo Stuart / StuartXchange
Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Occupational contact dermatitis from golden shrimp plant (Pachystachys lutea)
/ E. Paulsen, S. L. Andersen and K. E. Andersen / Contact Dermatitis 2009: 60: 1–2
(2)
Use of Indigenous Plants in Traditional Health Care Systems by Mishing Tribe of Dikhowmukh, Sivasagar District, Assam / Ratna Jyoti Das, Kalyani Pathak / International Journal of Herbal Medicine 2013; 1 (3): pp 50-57
(3)
Pachystachys lutea Nees / The Plant List
(4)
Transcript of Golden Shrimp Plant (Pachystachys lutea) as Treatment for Bacterial Skin Infections / Regine Madayag / Thesis
(5)
Pachystachys lutea / Wikipedia

DOI: It is not uncommon for links on studies/sources to change. Copying and pasting the information on the search window or using the DOI (if available) will often redirect to the new link page. (Citing and Using a (DOI) Digital Object Identifier)

α(5)
                                                            List of Understudied Philippine Medicinal Plants

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