Acanthaceae

Acanthopale C.B.Clarke

First published in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 5: 62 (1899)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Nigeria to Ethiopia and S. Tropical Africa, Madagascar.

Descriptions

J. R. Timberlake, E. S. Martins (2013). Flora Zambesiaca, Vol 8 (5) Acanthaceae Part 1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
Shrubby herbs or shrubs; cystoliths conspicuous
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, slightly to distinctly anisophyllous, abruptly contracted below middle, entire to crenate, with scattered dark gland dots
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in axillary elongate or condensed racemes; bracts persistent, foliaceous; bracteoles persistent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx deeply divided into 5 subequal lobes, dorsal often slightly longer and wider
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla hairy on outside of lobes and in a dorsal band, rarely all over, often also with scattered stalked capitate glands, inside with a broad band of hairs ventrally and a transverse band below lobes, contorted in bud, zygomorphic; basal tube widening upwards, distinctly curved, throat long, funnel-shaped; lobes 5, erect or reflexed, broadly triangular-oblong, widest in upper lip
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4, didynamous, inserted at base of throat and included in throat; free part of filaments fused at base and running like 2 ridges to base of tube; anthers 2-thecous, thecae linear-oblong, slightly curved, rounded or apiculate at base and apex, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style filiform, hairy throughout; dorsal stigma lobe reduced to a small tooth, ventral lobe large, linear, flattened; ovary with 2 ovules per locule
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule 2-seeded, ellipsoid, acute, glabrous, thin-walled, often breaking irregularly and splitting lengthwise from base; retinaculae strong, curved
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds discoid, densely covered with hygroscopic hairs.
Distribution
A genus of 6–8 species in tropical Africa and about 5 in Madagascar. A complete revision of the genus may eventually result in the merging of some Madagascan and African species.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0