Polka Dot Plant

Plant Details

Scientific name

Hypoestes phyllostachya

Genus

Hypoestes

Family

Acanthaceae

Found in India

Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Assam, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh

Conservation status

Not Evaluated (NE)

Leaf characters

Leaf arrangement

OppositerecordedTwo leaves arise from the stem at the same point, facing each other.“The leaves are opposite, oval and pointed.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Leaf surface

Pubescent (softly hairy)recorded

Typical of the family

Type

Simple

Margin

Entire

Venation

Pinnate

Characters marked “recorded” are for Polka Dot Plant itself; the rest are typical of the Acanthaceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower colour

Pinkrecorded

Flower arrangement

SolitaryrecordedA single flower borne alone, not in a cluster.“It may produce small, solitary pink/purple flowers at the nodes that resemble honeysuckle.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Fruit type

CapsulerecordedA dry fruit from a fused ovary that splits open at maturity to release seeds.“The fruit is a many-seeded dehiscent capsule.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Flower symmetry

Zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)

Inflorescence

Spike

Fruit

Capsule

Characters marked “recorded” are for Polka Dot Plant itself; the rest are typical of the Acanthaceae family — flowering plants only.

About Polka Dot Plant

Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) belongs to the Acanthaceae family. In India it has been recorded in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and 9 other states.

Uses

It is planted as an ornamental.

Common plant problems

• Overwatering & Root Rot
• Houseplant Pests
• Leaf Spot on Plants
• Powdery Mildew on Plants

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