Acanthaceae (Black-eyed Susan family)

Family: Acanthaceae (Black-eyed Susan family)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Asterids > Euasterid I > Order: Lamiales

There are about 350 genera and 4350 species worldwide (mainly in the tropics and subtropics), with about 42 genera and 350 species in southern Africa.

Genera indigenous to southern Africa

Information mainly from Balkwill & Welman (2000), and Welman (2003).

Acanthopsis The 8 species are endemic to southern Africa, occurring in arid regions.
Adhatoda Many species in the Old World tropics. Two species are native to southern Africa.
Anisotes There are 19 species, native to Africa, Arabian Peninsula and Madagascar. Two species are found in southern Africa.
Asystasia About 70 species, found from Africa to the East Indies and Australia. There are 8 species native to southern Africa.
Avicennia About eight species, found in coastal mangroves lagoons worldwide. The only species indigenous to southern Africa is Avicennia marina. This genus was previously placed in its own family, the Avicenniaceae, but evidence now suggests that it is part of the Acanthaceae (see Angiosperm Phylogeny Website).
Barleria There are 250 species. Found worldwide but mainly in the tropics. About 60 species are native to southern Africa.
Blepharis About 80 species, found from Africa and the Mediterranean to the East Indies. There are 51 species in southern Africa.
Brillantaisia About 40 species, native to tropical Africa and Madagascar. Not recorded in Balkwill & Welman (2000) but according to Joffe (2001), Brillantaisia subulugurica is found in Zimbabwe and tropical Africa.
Chaetacanthus The 3 species are endemic to southern Africa.
Chorisochora Of the 3 species, 2 are found on Socotra and 1 in southern Africa.
Crabbea About 12 species of which 7 are native to southern Africa.
Crossandra About 50 species, native to Africa, Arabian Peninsula, India and Madagascar. Four species are found in southern Africa.
Dicliptera About 150 species, found worldwide in warm and tropical regions. There are 15 species in southern Africa.
Duosperma The 12 species are native to Africa with 2 occurring in southern Africa.
Duvernoia The 2 species are native to Mozambique and southern Africa.
Dyschoriste About 65 species, occurring worldwide in tropical and warm areas. In southern Africa there are 11 species.
Ecbolium The 22 species are found from Africa to India with 3 occurring in southern Africa.
Elytraria About 7 species, native to Africa, Asia and America, with 1 species, Elytraria lyrata occurring in southern Africa.
Glossochilus The 2 species are endemic to southern Africa.
Hygrophila A mainly tropical genus of about 100 species with 10 species native to southern Africa.
Hypoestes About 40 species, found from Africa to Asia, East Indies and Australia, with 3 species occurring in southern Africa.
Isoglossa About 50 species, found in the Old World, mainly in the tropics. There are 15 species in southern Africa.
Justicia About 420 species, found worldwide in warm areas. There are 23 species native to southern Africa and at least seven exotic species that are cultivated in gardens of this region, including Justicia brandegeeana (Shrimp plant) pictured on the right.
Lepidagathis About 100 species, found worldwide in warm and tropical areas. Two species are native to southern Africa.
Mackaya The single species, Mackaya bella, is native to southern Africa.
Megalochlamys The 10 species are native to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula with 4 species occurring in southern Africa.
Metarungia The 3 species are native to Africa, 2 of which occur in southern Africa.
Monechma About 40 species, mainly African but also occurring in India. There are 19 species in southern Africa.
Nelsonia The 5 species are native to Africa, India, Australia and South America. One species, Nelsonia canescens, occurs in southern Africa.
Neuracanthus About 20 species, native to Africa, and from the Arabian Peninsula to India. There is one species in southern Africa, Neuracanthus africanus.
Peristrophe About 15 species , occurring from Africa to the East Indies. In southern Africa there are 11 species.
Petalidium About 35 species, native from Africa to India. In southern Africa there are 28 species.
Phaulopsis About 20 species, native from Africa to India, with 3 species occurring in southern Africa.
Pseuderanthemum About 60 species, found worldwide in the tropics. There are 2 species in southern Africa.
Rhinacanthus About 22 species, native from Africa to Asia. In southern Africa there are 3 species.
Ruellia About 150 species, native to America, Africa, Asia and Australia. About 15 species in southern Africa.
Ruelliopsis There are 2-3 species, African with 2 species in southern Africa.
Ruspolia The 4 species are native to Africa and Madagascar, 3 of which occur in southern Africa.
Ruttya There are 3 species; African with 1 species, Ruttya ovata, occurring in southern Africa.
Salpinctium The 3 species are endemic to southern Africa.
Sclerochiton About 12 species, native to Africa with 6 species occurring in southern Africa.
Siphonoglossa About 8 species, native to Africa and America. There are 3 species native to southern Africa.
Thunbergia About 100 species, native to Old World, mainly in the tropics. There are 11 species in southern Africa. Common species: Thunbergia alata (Black-eyed Susan).

Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa

Sanchezia oblonga Indigenous to Ecuador.
Blechum pyramidatum (Sornia) Indigenous from Mexico through to South America.
Hemigraphis
Strobilanthes Two species cultivated.
Whitfieldia elongata Indigenous to tropical Africa.
Eranthemum Three species cultivated.
Acanthus Four species cultivated, including Acanthus mollis (Bear's breech), a common garden plant (see picture right).
Xantheranthemum igneum Indigenous to Peru.
Aphelandra Two species cultivated.
Graptophyllum Two species cultivated.
Pachystachys Two species cultivated.
Anisacanthus Two species cultivated.
Odontonema Two species cultivated.
Fittonia Two species cultivated.
Megaskepasma erythrochlamys Indigenous to Venezuela.

Publications

Balkwill, K. & Welman, W.G. 2000. Acanthaceae. In: Seed Plants of Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 34-45. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Clarke, C.B. 1901. Acanthaceae. Flora Capensis 5,1: 1-92.
Meyer, P.G. 1968. Acanthaceae. Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 130: 1-65.
Welman, W.G. 2003. Acanthaceae. In Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds), Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14: 92-106. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.