Gesneriaceae
Gesneria Family
The Gesneriaceae family (Gesneria Family) is a botanical family placed in the order Lamiales. In the SASYA catalogue it spans 15 species across 10 genera. Its members are predominantly herbs. Well-represented genera include Didymocarpus, Rhynchoglossum and Achimenes. Several members are valued in traditional medicine. Familiar examples include Cupid's bower, Nilgiri Blushwort and Sunset Bells.
Browse all 15 species ↓
Often hairy, opposite leaves, sometimes asymmetric at the base, on herbs of shaded, humid habitats; bilaterally symmetrical, tubular flowers with a five-lobed lip ripen into a berry or capsule.
Many cultivated houseplants — African violets, gloxinias — belong to this family, prized for velvety leaves and long-tubed, brightly coloured flowers adapted to specialist pollinators.
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Typical leaf characters
- ArrangementVariable
- TypeVariable
- MarginVariable
- VenationVariable
Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.
Typical flower & fruit
- Flower symmetryZygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
- InflorescenceCyme
- FruitBerry
Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.
Notable members
All 15 species in GESNERIACEAE
- Cupid's BowerAchimenes longiflora
- Nilgiri BlushwortAeschynanthus perrottetii
- Sunset BellsChrysothemis pulchella
- Flame VioletEpiscia cupreata
- Canterbury BellsGloxinia perennis
- East Indian KlugiaRhynchoglossum notonianum
- Small-Flowered Tongue-LipRhynchoglossum obliquum
- African VioletStreptocarpus ionanthus
- Chirita hamosa
- Didymocarpus fischeri
- Didymocarpus innominatus
- Didymocarpus meeboldii
- Didymocarpus ovalifolius
- Didymocarpus tomentosus
- Rhynchotechum permolle
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