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Botanical Family · Lamiales

Acanthaceae

Acanthus family

182 speciesOrder Lamiales8+ well-known plants

A family of herbs, shrubs, and climbers predominantly found in tropical and subtropical regions. Known for their showy, tubular flowers and opposite leaves. Many are cultivated as ornamentals; some have medicinal applications in traditional systems.

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Representative ACANTHACEAE specimen
Representative specimen · Acanthaceae
Key pattern

Opposite leaves and irregular, figwort-like tubular flowers carried in bracted spikes, maturing into an explosive seed capsule.

Widely grown as ornamentals and hedge plants in warm climates; largely non-toxic, with the bracted spike and popping capsule as the clearest field marks.

Identify the species

Which Acanthaceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Acanthaceae species.

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Blue
Green
Orange
Pink
Purple
Red
White
Yellow
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Climbing vine
Herb
Shrub
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Hirsute (coarsely hairy)
Pubescent (softly hairy)
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Tomentose (woolly, matted hairs)
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Climbing vine
Shrub
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Shrub
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Climbing vine
Herb
Shrub
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Hirsute (coarsely hairy)
Pubescent (softly hairy)
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Hirsute (coarsely hairy)
Pubescent
Pubescent (softly hairy)
Spiny
ArmatureDoes the plant have spiny leaves or bracts?
Spiny
Unarmed
ArmatureDoes the plant have spiny leaves or bracts?
Spiny
Unarmed
ArmatureDoes the plant have spiny leaves or bracts?
Spiny
Unarmed
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Climbing vine
Shrub
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Pubescent
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Pubescent
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Glaucous (waxy blue-grey bloom)
Hirsute
Hirsute (coarsely hairy)
Pubescent
Pubescent (softly hairy)
Spiny
ArmatureDoes the plant have spiny leaves or bracts?
Spiny
Unarmed
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Shrub
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Shrub
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Shrub

How to recognise the Acanthaceae family

  • 01

    Opposite leaves, often with cystoliths

  • 02

    Tubular 2-lipped flowers

  • 03

    Explosive seed dispersal via elastic valves

Typical leaf characters

Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.

Typical flower & fruit

Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.

Notable members

Holly-Leaved Acanthus; Holy MangroveAcanthus ilicifoliusBear's BreechesAcanthus mollisFalse WaterwillowAndrographis echioidesStriped ChirettaAndrographis lineataKing Of BittersAndrographis neesianaCreatAndrographis paniculataCreeping CreatAndrographis serpyllifoliaZebra-PlantAphelandra squarrosa

All 182 species in ACANTHACEAE

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