Acanthaceae or the Acanthus Family of plants is from the order of Lamiales. There are about 242 genera and about 3,947 species in the Acanthaceae family. The members of this family are from tropical and subtropical habitats. They are mostly from Central America, Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Africa. Most members are herbs or shrubs but there are a few vines and trees. Some well-known members include the Shrimp Plant, Clockvine. Justicia is the largest genera as it has about 600 species.
Most Acanthaceae members have simple leaves with no stipules. They are in opposite pairs and decussated. They are sometimes toothed or lobbed. The flowers are usually bisexual they are bilaterally symmetrical. They are surrounded by bracts. The bracts are colorful and leaflike. They usually have about four or five sepals and petals. They are tubular. There are two or four stamens usually extended beyond the petals. They have superior pistils and ovaries. The calyx usually has four or five lobes. The fruits common on Acanthaceae members exploding capsules. This helps these plants to disperse their seeds.
The plants in this family are also known for medicinal use. Some described properties include anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antioxidant, or hepatoprotective. There are plants in traditional medicine both Chines and Indian. They treat asthma, diabetes, snake bites, and hepatitis. These plants include Acanthus illicifolius or A. ebracteatus.
The genera in the Acanthaceae family include: (A to K)
Acanthodium
Acanthopale
Acanthopsis
Acanthura
Acanthus
Acelica
Achyrocalyx
Adeloda
Adenacanthus
Adenostachya
Adhatoda
Aetheilema
Afrofittonia
Afromendoncia
Alvarezia
Ambongia
Amphiscopia
Ancistranthus
Ancistrostylis
Andrographis
Angkalanthus
Anisacanthus
Anisosepalum
Anisostachya
Anisotes
Anomacanthus
Anthacanthus
Antheliacanthus
Apassalus
Aphanosperma
Aphelandra
Aphelandrella
Aphragmia
Aporuellia
Arrhostoxylum
Ascotheca
Asystasia
Asystasiella
Athlianthus
Avicennia
Ballochia
Banjolea
Baphicacanthus
Barleria
Barleriola
Beloperone
Benoicanthus
Birnbaumia
Blechum
Blepharis
Borneacanthus
Boutonia
Brachystephanus
Bravaisia
Bremekampia
Brillantaisia
Brunoniella
Buceragenia
Buteraea
Calacanthus
Caldenbachia
Calophanes
Calophanoides
Calycacanthus
Camarotea
Cardanthera
Cardiacanthus
Carlowrightia
Celerina
Centrilla
Cephalacanthus
Cephalophis
Chaetacanthus
Chaetochlamys
Chaetothylax
Chalarothyrsus
Chamaeranthemum
Championella
Chileranthemum
Chingiacanthus
Chlamydacanthus
Chlamydocardia
Chlamydostachya
Chorisochora
Chrestienia
Chroesthes
Clarkeasia
Clinacanthus
Clistax
Codonacanthus
Conocalyx
Corythacanthus
Cosmianthemum
Crabbea
Crateola
Crossandra
Crossandrella
Cryphiacanthus
Cryptophragmium
Cuenotia
Cyclacanthus
Cynarospermum
Cyphacanthus
Cyrtacanthus
Cyrtanthera
Cystacanthus
Danguya
Dasytropis
Dianthera
Diapedium
Dichazothece
Dicladanthera
Dicliptera
Didyplosandra
Diflugossa
Digyroloma
Dinteracanthus
Diotacanthus
Dipteracanthus
Dischistocalyx
Ditrichospermum
Dizygandra
Dolichostachys
Dossifluga
Drejera
Drejerella
Duosperma
Duvernoia
Dyschoriste
Dyspemptemorion
Earlia
Eberlea
Ebermaiera
Ecbolium
Echinacanthus
Ecteinanthus
Elytraria
Encephalosphaera
Endopogon
Epiclastopelma
Eranthemum
Eremomastax
Erythracanthus
Ethesia
Eusiphon
Fabria
Filetia
Fittonia
Flavicoma
Forcipella
Forsythiopsis
Gantelbua
Gastranthus
Geissomeria
Gendarussa
Gerardia
Glockeria
Glossochilus
Goldfussia
Graphandra
Graptophyllum
Gutzlaffia
Gymnacanthus
Gymnophragma
Gymnostachyum
Gynocraterium
Gypsacanthus
Habracanthus
Haemacanthus
Hallieracantha
Hansteinia
Haplanthodes
Haplanthus
Harnieria
Harpochilus
Harrachia
Haselhoffia
Heinzelia
Hemiadelphis
Hemigraphis
Henrya
Herpetacanthus
Hesperanthemum
Heteradelphia
Hexacentris
Himantochilus
Holographis
Hoverdenia
Hulemacanthus
Hygrophila
Hymenochlaena
Hypoestes
Ichthyostoma
Idanthisa
Ionacanthus
Isochoriste
Isoglossa
Isotheca
Ixtlania
Jacobinia
Jadunia
Janasia
Juruasia
Justicia
Kalbreyeriella
Kanjarum
Kosmosiphon
Kudoacanthus
Kuestera
Kuniria
