Rhinacanthus nasutus aka Dainty Spurs

Rhinacanthus nasutus is a woody shrub. It belongs to the Acanthaceae family. It comes from tropical Asia, which includes India. Kew places it in a tropical zone with dry seasons. It grows upright and has many branches. Plants reach about 6.6 feet [2 metres] tall. Some grow beyond that usual size to 9.8 feet [3 metres]. People grow it for its looks and for practical uses.

Wild plants grow in thickets, hedges, and ground people have disturbed. They grow at heights up to 2,460 feet [750 metres]. The plant does best in moist soil that drains well. Yet it grows in dry sites too, including cracks in rocks. Its range of habitats thus extends beyond moist sites. In gardens, it grows in full sun or part shade. The sources give no frost limits or hardiness zones.

In Java, growers plant this shrub to make hedges. They also use it to help curb soil loss. Its many branches suit its use along planted bounds. Insects carry pollen between flowers. The source gives no time of year for blooms. The evidence does not describe its leaves, bark, or fruit. Growers can start new plants from seeds or stem cuttings. The cited method uses cuttings about 0.33 feet [0.10 metres] long. Each has two or three nodes, or growth points. Growers place them in part shade in the rainy season. People also use the seeds to scent clothes.

People gather wild plants for use in local medicine. These long-held uses focus on skin problems. Studies found naphthoquinones, flavonoids, and phytosterols in the plant. Tests report effects against some viruses, bacteria, and fungi. These include tests on cytomegalovirus and influenza A. Extracts also showed effects against fungi linked to skin disease. A compound from stems and leaves slowed a rice-blast fungus. A further lab test found effects against cattle ticks. These tests used extracts or compounds taken from the plant. They do not prove that garden remedies work.

Several compounds taken from the plant also harmed cells in tests. These results do not show safe doses for home use. Useful Tropical Plants lists no known food uses or hazards. That does not prove safety for people or pets. The evidence gives no account of garden pests or diseases. Nor does it give grounds to judge the plant's weed risk.