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.
Justicia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae. It is the largest genus within the family, encompassing around 700 species with hundreds more as yet unresolved. 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.
Aphelandra is a genus of over 200 species of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas.
Dicliptera is a genus of flowering plants in the bear's breeches family, Acanthaceae. It includes 223 species native to the tropics and subtropics worldwide. Well-known synonyms include Peristrophe and Dactylostegium.
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.
Poikilacanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae. It includes 13 species native to the tropical Americas, ranging from central Mexico to northern Argentina.
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.
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.
Odontonema, the toothedthreads, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae. It includes 32 species native to the tropical Americas, ranging from Mexico to Peru and southeastern Brazil.
Pseuderanthemum is a genus of plants in family Acanthaceae with a pantropical distribution.
Stenostephanus is a genus of plants in the family Acanthaceae. It includes 94 species native to the tropical Americas, ranging from northeastern Mexico to Bolivia and southeastern Brazil.
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.
Eranthemum is a genus of plants in the family Acanthaceae. It includes 23 species native to the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, southern China, Sumatra, and Java.
Pachystachys is a genus of 12 species of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to rainforest in the Caribbean and Central and South America. They are evergreen perennials and shrubs bearing prominent terminal spikes of flowers with brightly coloured bracts.
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.
Polylychnis radicans is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Acanthaceae. It is native to Guyana and French Guiana. It is the sole species in genus Polylychnis.
Chamaeranthemum is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Acanthaceae. It includes four species native to the tropical Americas, including Costa Rica, Peru, and southern and southeastern Brazil.
Clinacanthus is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Acanthaceae.
