page_title: Acanthaceae
section_title: Selected genera
hierarchical_section_title: Acanthaceae / Selected genera
caption_attribution_description: English: Hypoestes Phyllostachya. Photo taken by IP Singh.
context_page_description: 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.
context_section_description: The 246 accepted genera, according to Germplasm Resources Information Network, are:
  Acanthopale C.B.Clarke
  Acanthopsis Harv.
  Acanthostelma Bidgood & Brummitt
  Acanthura Lindau
  Acanthus L. (bear's breech)
  Achyrocalyx Benoist
  Aechmanthera 
  Adhatoda Mill. (sometimes included in Justicia)
  Afrofittonia Lindau
  Ambongia Benoist
  Ancistranthus Lindau (desert honeysuckle)
  Ancistrostylis T.Yamaz.
  Andrographis Wall. ex Nees (false waterwillow)
  Angkalanthus Balf.f.
  Anisacanthus Nees
  Anisosepalum E.Hossain
  Anisostachya Nees (sometimes included in Justicia)
  Anisotes Nees
  Anomacanthus R.D.Good
  Apassalus Kobuski
  Aphanosperma T.F.Daniel
  Aphelandra R.Br.
  Aphelandrella Mildbr.
  Ascotheca Heine
  Asystasia Blume
  Asystasiella Lindau
  Avicennia L.
  Ballochia Balf.f.
  Barleria L. (bush violets)
  Barleriola Oerst
  Benoicanthus Heine & A.Raynal
  Blechum P.Browne
  Blepharis Juss.
  Borneacanthus Bremek.
  Boutonia DC.
  Brachystephanus Nees
  Bravaisia DC.
  Brillantaisia P.Beauv.
  Calacanthus T.Anderson ex Benth. & Hook.f.
  Calophanoides (C.B.Clarke) Ridl. (sometimes included in Justicia)
  Calycacanthus K.Schum.
  Camarotea Scott-Elliot
  Carlowrightia A.Gray (wrightwort)
  Celerina Benoist
  Cephalacanthus Lindau
  Chaetacanthus Nees
  Chalarothyrsus Lindau
  Chamaeranthemum Nees
  Championella Bremek.
  Chileranthemum Oerst.
  Chlamydacanthus Lindau (sometimes included in Theileamea)
  Chlamydocardia Lindau
  Chlamydostachya Mildbr.
  Chroesthes Benoist
  Clinacanthus Nees
  Clistax Mart.
  Codonacanthus Nees
  Conocalyx Benoist
  Corymbostachys Lindau
  Cosmianthemum Bremek.
  Crabbea Harv.
  Crossandra Salisb.
  Crossandrella C.B.Clarke
  Cyclacanthus S.Moore
  Cylindrosolenium Lindau
  Cyphacanthus Leonard
  Dactylostegium Nees (sometimes included in Dicliptera)
  Danguya Benoist
  Dasytropis Urb.
  Dichazothece Lindau
  Dicladanthera F.Muell.
  Dicliptera Juss. (Foldwing)
  Didyplosandra Wight ex Bremek.
  Dipteracanthus Nees (sometimes included in Ruellia)
  Dischistocalyx T.Anderson ex Benth. & Hook.f.
  Dolichostachys Benoist
  Drejera Nees
  Drejerella Lindau (sometimes included in Justicia)
  Duosperma Dayton
  Dyschoriste Nees (snakeherb)
  Ecbolium Kurz
  Echinacanthus Nees
  Elytraria Michx. (scalystem)
  Encephalosphaera Lindau
  Epiclastopelma Lindau
  Eranthemum L.
  Eremomastax Lindau
  Eusiphon Benoist (often included in Ruellia)
  Filetia Miq.
  Fittonia Coem.
  Forcipella Baill.
  Forsythiopsis Baker (sometimes included in Oplonia)
  Geissomeria Lindl.
  Glossochilus Nees
  Golaea Chiov.
  Graphandra J.B.Imlay
  Graptophyllum Nees
  Gymnophragma Lindau
  Gymnostachyum Nees
  Gynocraterium Bremek.
  Gypsacanthus E.J.Lott et al.
  Haplanthodes Kuntze
  Harpochilus Nees
  Hemiadelphis Nees
  Hemigraphis Nees (sometimes included in Strobilanthes)
  Henrya Nees
  Herpetacanthus Nees
  Heteradelphia Lindau
  Holographis Nees
  Hoverdenia Nees
  Hulemacanthus S.Moore
  Hygrophila R.Br. (swampweed)
  Hypoestes  (including Periestes)
  Ionacanthus Benoist
  Isoglossa Oerst.
  Isotheca Turrill
  Jadunia Lindau
  Juruasia Lindau
  Justicia L. (justicia, water-willow, shrimp plant)
  Kalbreyeriella Lindau
  Kosmosiphon Lindau
  Kudoacanthus Hosok.
  Lankesteria Lindl.
  Lasiocladus Bojer ex Nees
  Leandriella Benoist
  Lepidagathis Willd.
  Leptostachya Nees
  Liberatia Rizzini (sometimes included in Lophostachys)
  Linariantha B.L.Burtt & R.M.Sm.
  Lophostachys Pohl
  Louteridium S.Watson
  Lychniothyrsus Lindau
  Marcania J.B.Imlay
  Megalochlamys Lindau
  Megalostoma Leonard
  Megaskepasma Lindau
  Melittacanthus S.Moore
  Mellera S.Moore
  Mendoncia Vand.
  Metarungia Baden
  Mexacanthus T.F.Daniel
  Meyenia Nees
  Mimulopsis Schweinf.
  Mirandea Rzed.
  Monechma Hochst. (sometimes included in Justicia)
  Monothecium Hochst.
  Morsacanthus Rizzini
  Nelsonia R.Br.
  Neohallia Hemsl.
  Neriacanthus Benth.
  Neuracanthus Nees
  Odontonema Nees (toothedthread)
  Ophiorrhiziphyllon Kurz
  Oplonia Raf.
  Oreacanthus Benth.
  Orophochilus Lindau
  Pachystachys Nees
  Pachystrobilus: P. involucratus (Blume) Bremek.
  Pelecostemon Leonard
  Pentstemonacanthus Nees
  Perenideboles Ram. (Goyena)
  Pericalypta Benoist
  Peristrophe Nees
  Petalidium Nees
  Phaulopsis Willd.
  Phialacanthus Benth.
  Phidiasia Urb.
  Phlogacanthus Nees
  Physacanthus Benth.
  Podorungia Baill.
  Poikilacanthus Lindau
  Polylychnis Bremek. (oft
caption: Polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
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