Contains 20 genera and 52 accepted taxa overall.
This family is completely databased for all specimens.
Characteristics
ACANTHACEAE
Dicot
-
Classification
LAMIALES
ACANTHACEAE
Genera
| Genus | Common Name | Taxa Count | Herbarium Specimens | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asystasia | ASYSTASIA | 2 | ||
| Avicennia | BLACK MANGROVE | 1 | ||
| Barleria | PHILIPPINE VIOLET | 3 | ||
| Carlowrightia | WRIGHTWORT | 1 | ||
| Dicliptera | FOLDWING | 2 | ||
| Dyschoriste | TWINFLOWER; SNAKEHERB | 3 | ||
| Elytraria | SCALYSTEM | 1 | ||
| Eranthemum | ERANTHEMUM | 1 | ||
| Graptophyllum | GRAPTOPHYLLUM | 1 | ||
| Hygrophila | SWAMPWEED | 4 | ||
| Hypoestes | HYPOESTES | 1 | ||
| Justicia | WATERWILLOW | 10 | ||
| Nelsonia | NELSONIA | 1 | ||
| Odontonema | TOOTHEDTHREAD | 1 | ||
| Pseuderanthemum | PSEUDERANTHEMUM | 2 | ||
| Ruellia | WILD PETUNIA | 10 | ||
| Stenandrium | SHAGGYTUFT | 1 | ||
| Strobilanthes | HEMIGRAPHIS; STROBILANTHES | 2 | ||
| Thunbergia | THUNBERGIA | 4 | ||
| Yeatesia | BRACTSPIKE | 1 |
Identification Key
1. Pneumatophores present (erect, aboveground, arising from subterranean roots below); leaf blade upper surface salt-excreting, densely gray-pubescent on the underside; Avicennioideae
1. Pneumatophores absent; leaf blade not salt-excreting, glabrate to pubescent on the underside; not a mangrove
2
2. Leaf blades with cystoliths, or without cystoliths and anthers monothecous; seed subtended by a hooked, persistent retanicula; Acanthoideae
2. Leaf blades without cystoliths; seed without a retinacula
3
3. Vines or shrubs; inflorescence a fascicle, raceme, or solitary flower; flower subtended by clasping or connate foliaceous bracteoles; Thunbergioideae
3. Herbs; inflorescence a many-flowered spike; flower not subtended by large foliaceous bracteoles; Nelsonioideae
4
4. Leaves primarily basal and rosette-forming; peduncle with numerous stiff, clasping, scale-like bracts below the flower spike
4. Leaves cauline; peduncle lacking numerous scale-like bracts
1. (Key A) Leaves primarily basal and rosette-forming, without cystoliths; stamens 4, monothecous; Acantheae
1. Leaves basal or caulilne, with or without a rosette, with cystoliths; stamens 2 or 4, if 4 then at least 2 bithecous
2
2. Corolla with left-contort aestivation in bud; Ruellieae
2. Corolla with quincuncial or ascending-cochlear aestivation
3
3. Shrubs, sometimes with spines or prickly sepals; outer pair of sepals enlarged and foliaceous; corolla with quincuncial aestivation; Barlerieae
3. Herbs or shrubs, lacking spines or prickles; outer pair of sepals foliaceous or not; corolla with ascending-cochlear aestivation; Justicieae
1. (Key B) Larger leaves >10 cm long; flower subtended by foliaceous bracts with pale surfaces and dark veins and edges; stamens 2, staminodes 2
1. Larger leaves 1-20 cm long; foliaceous bracts if present not as above; stamens 4
2
2. Anther thecae (at least one) with basal awns or appendages
2. Anther thecae without basal awns or appendages
3
3. Corolla bilabiate, usually <10 mm long; mostly of aquatic or hydric habitats, sometimes submerged
3. Corolla subactinomorphic, usually >10 mm long; mostly of xeric to hydric terrestrial habitats
1. (Key C) Shrubs; stamens 2, staminodes 2
2
1. Herbs, sometimes suffrutescent; stamens 2 and staminodes absent, or stamens 4, rarely stamens 2 and staminodes 2
3
2. Leaves often variegated; corolla bilabiate with the upper lobe erect and exserted and the lower lobes reflexed
2. Leaves not variegated; corolla salverform, the tube 15-25 mm long, the lobes 2-5 mm long
3. Corolla 8-35 mm long; stamens 4
3. Corolla 2-50 mm long; stamens 2
4
4. Basal and proximal leaves petiolate, distal leaves often sessile to subsessile; corolla salverform, the tube much longer than the lobes
4. Leaves and petioles variable; corolla bilabiate, funnelform, or subsalverform and tube not much longer than the lobes
5
5. Corolla resupinate with ca. 180 degree twist in corolla tube, the more heavily spotted and lobate lip positioned above, the 2 stamens held closer to the bottom of the flower
6
5. Corolla not resupinate, the often lobate lip positioned below, the 2 stamens often held closer to the upper corolla part
7
6. Leaves not variegated; anthers bithecous
6. Leaves often variegated; anthers monothecous
7. Anther thecae unevenly attached with one theca above the other; corolla white, pink, purple, reddish, or orange
7. Anther thecae evenly attached and parallel; corolla white or mostly so
8
8. Leaves 1-3 cm long; inflorescence of 1-3 axillary flowers
8. Leaves 4-12 cm long; inflorescence a spike with foliaceous bracts