Acanthaceae is a family of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing almost 250 genera and about 2500 species. Most are tropical herbs, shrubs, or twining vines; some are epiphytes. Only a few species are distributed in temperate regions. The four main centres of distribution are Indonesia and Malaysia, Africa, Brazil, and Central America. Representatives of the family can be found in nearly every habitat, including dense or open forests, scrublands, wet fields and valleys, sea coast and marine areas, swamps, and mangrove forests.
Strobilanthes is a genus of about 350 species of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, mostly native to tropical Asia and Madagascar, but with a few species extending north into temperate regions of Asia. Many species are cultivated for their two-lipped, hooded flowers in shades of blue, pink, white and purple. Most are frost-tender and require protection in frost-prone areas. The genus is most famed for its many species which bloom on long cycles of several years, such as Strobilanthes wightii which blooms every thirteen years.
Justicia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae. It is the largest genus within the family, with over 900 accepted species. They are native to tropical to warm temperate regions of the Americas, India, and Africa. The genus serves as host to many butterfly species, such as Anartia fatima. Common names include water-willow and shrimp plant, the latter from the inflorescences, which resemble a shrimp in some species. The generic name honours Scottish horticulturist James Justice (1698–1763). They are closely related to Pachystachys.
Barleria is a genus of plants in the family Acanthaceae. It includes 303 species native to the tropics and subtropics, including the Americas from Mexico to northern South America, sub-Saharan Africa, Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, southern China and Taiwan, parts of Malesia, and New Guinea.
Ruellia is a genus of flowering plants commonly known as ruellias or wild petunias. They are not closely related to petunias (Petunia) although both genera belong to the same euasterid clade. The genus was named in honor of Jean Ruelle (1474–1537), herbalist and physician to Francis I of France and translator of several works of Dioscorides.
Hygrophila, commonly known as swampweeds, is a genus of flowering plants in the acanthus family, Acanthaceae. There are about 80 to 100 species, of which many are aquatic plants. The genus is distributed across the tropical and subtropical world. It is one of only two genera in its family that contains aquatic plants, the other being Justicia. The genus is treated in the tribe Hygrophileae, which is noted as being in need of revision at the genus level, meaning the current taxonomic boundaries of Hygrophila are likely to change in the future.
Lepidagathis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae. It includes 151 species native to the tropics of the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, south and southeast Asia, southern China, Malesia, and New Guinea.
Hypoestes is a flowering plant genus of about 150 species. They are widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical lands around the Indian Ocean, and some adjacent regions.
Stenandrium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae native to the Americas, with 50 species of perennial herbs ranging from the southern United States to northern Argentina and central Chile.
The genus Asystasia belongs to the family Acanthaceae and comprises 59 species found in the tropics of Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Guinea. It includes the weedy species Asystasia gangetica.
Blepharis is a genus of plant in family Acanthaceae. It contains around 128 species found in seasonally dry to arid habitats from Africa through Arabia to Southeast Asia. In section Acanthodium, there are 13–15 species that use the C4 carbon fixation pathway. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that this pathway evolved up to three times independently in the genus over the last five million years.
Isoglossa is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae. It includes 78 species native to tropical Africa, Yemen, the eastern Himalayas, southern China, Indochina, Peninsular Malaysia, Java, Sulawesi, the Lesser Sunda Islands, and New South Wales.
Pseuderanthemum is a genus of plants in family Acanthaceae with a pantropical distribution.
Rhinacanthus is a genus of plants in the family Acanthaceae. It includes 26 species native to tropical Africa and Asia, ranging across sub-Saharan Africa to Madagascar, the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, south-central China, Peninsular Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Dyschoriste is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae. It includes 98 species native to the tropics and subtropics of the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, and southern Asia. Members of the genus are commonly known as snakeherb.
Ecbolium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae. It includes 26 species native to southern and eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Indian subcontinent, and Myanmar.
Phlogacanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae and tribe Andrographideae. Its distribution includes India through to Indo-China, southern China, Java, and Sulawesi.
