Acalypha
Acalypha | |
---|---|
chenille plant (Acalypha hispida) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Rosids |
Order: | Malpighiales |
Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
Subfamily: | Acalyphoideae |
Tribe: | Acalypheae |
Subtribe: | Acalyphinae |
Genus: | Acalypha L. |
Species | |
450-462, see text | |
Synonyms | |
|
Acalypha is a genus of flowering plants in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is the sole genus of the subtribe Acalyphinae. It is one of the largest euphorb genera, with approximately 450 to 462 species.[1][2][3] The genus name Acalypha is from the Greek akalephes ("nettle"), and was inspired by the nettle-like leaves.[4] General common names include copperleaf.[5]
The genus is distributed mainly in the tropics and subtropics, with about 60% of species native to the Americas and about 30% in Africa.[6]
Description
The genus includes annuals or perennial herbs, shrubs, and small trees. Most are monoecious, and some are dioecious. Indumentum of simple hairs or glands, rarely of stellate hairs. The leaves are alternately arranged, undivided, generally petiolate, stipulate; stipels rarely present at apex of petiole or leaf base, caduceus. The blades entire or more frequently dentate or crenate, pinnately or palmately veined. There are several types of inflorescence,terminal or axillary, frequently both, unisexual or androgynous. Male inflorescences spicate, densely flowered, with several flowers at each node subtended by a minute bract. Female inflorescences generally spicate, sometimes racemose or panicle-shaped, with 1–3(–5) flowers at each node, usually subtended by a large bract, increasing and foliaceous in the fruit, generally dentate or lobed; sometimes subtended by a small bract, entire or lobed, non accrescent in the fruit. Androgynous inflorescences usually with female flowers at proximal nodes and male flower at distal nodes.Flowers unisexual, apetalous, disc absent. Male flowers very small, shortly pedicellate, globose in bud; calyx parted into 4 small valvate sepals; stamens 4–8(–16) on a slightly raised receptacle, filaments free or basally connated; anthers with divaricate or pendulous thecae, unilocular, more or less elongated and later becoming vermiform; pollen grains oblate-spheroidal, with 3–5 pseudopores, tectate, psilate; pistillode absent. Female flowers generally sessile or subsessile, pedicellate in a few species; calyx of 3– (4–5) small sepals imbricate, connate at base; ovary of [1–2]3 carpels, surface often muricate, pubescent or papillose; ovules solitary in each cell, anatropes; styles reddish, free or basally connate, several times divided into filiform segment, rarely bifid or entire; staminodes absent.Fruits capsular, small, 3-lobed, soon dehiscing septicidally into 3 bivalved cocci; generally surrounded by the accrescent female bract. Seeds small, ovoid or ellipsoid, usually carunculate, smooth or foveolate; endosperm present, whitish; the embryo straight; cotyledons broad and flat.Allomorphic female flowers present in some species, generally terminal (sometimes median or basal) in the inflorescences; ebracteate, long pedicellate or subsessile; calyx as in the normal female flowers; ovary and fruits 1-2 locular. [7]
Uses
A. hispida, the chenille plant or red-hot cat's tail, is cultivated as a houseplant for its interesting flowers. It earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit,[8] as has A. hispaniolae, the Hispaniola cat's tail.[9] Others are grown for their foliage and a number of cultivars have been developed, such as A. wilkesiana 'Obovata Cristata' and A. wilkesiana 'Hoffmannii'.[10]
A. bipartita is eaten as a vegetable in some parts of Africa, and it is used in basketry and as animal fodder.[11]
Selected species
- Acalypha alopecuroidea – foxtail copperleaf
- Acalypha amentacea
- Acalypha arvensis – field copperleaf
- Acalypha australis – Australian acalypha, Asian copperleaf
- Acalypha berteroana – Guayama copperleaf
- Acalypha bipartita
- Acalypha bisetosa – streambank copperleaf
- Acalypha californica – California copperleaf, Pringle three-seeded mercury
- Acalypha chamaedrifolia – bastard copperleaf
- Acalypha chlorocardia
- Acalypha chuniana
- Acalypha ciliata
- Acalypha costaricensis
- Acalypha cupricola
- Acalypha deamii – Deam's threeseed mercury
- Acalypha dictyoneura
- Acalypha dikuluwensis (extinct)
- Acalypha diversifolia
- Acalypha ecuadorica
- Acalypha eggersii
- Acalypha eremorum
- Acalypha fruticosa
- Acalypha glabrata
- Acalypha gracilens – slender copperleaf
- Acalypha gummifera
- Acalypha herzogiana – dwarf chenille plant, red firetail, strawberry foxtail, trailing red cat's-tail
- Acalypha hispida – chenille plant, Philippine Medusa, red-hot cattail, bristly copperleaf
- Acalypha hontauyuensis
- Acalypha indica– Indian acalypha, Indian-nettle
- Acalypha integrifolia
- Acalypha lancetillae
- Acalypha lepinei
- Acalypha leptopoda
- Acalypha macrostachya
- Acalypha mexicana – Mexican copperleaf
- Acalypha monococca – slender threeseed mercury
- Acalypha monostachya – round copperleaf
- Acalypha mortoniana
- Acalypha neomexicana – New Mexico copperleaf
- Acalypha ornata
- Acalypha ostryifolia – hophornbeam copperleaf, pineland threeseed mercury
- Acalypha padifolia
- Acalypha pendula
- Acalypha phleoides – shrubby copperleaf
- Acalypha poiretii – Poiret's copperleaf
- Acalypha polystachya
- Acalypha portoricensis – Puerto Rico copperleaf
- Acalypha psilostachya
- Acalypha radians – cardinal's feather
- Acalypha raivavensis
- Acalypha rhomboidea – common copperleaf, rhombic copperleaf
- Acalypha rubrinervis – St. Helena mountain bush, string tree, stringwood (extinct (c.1860))
- Acalypha setosa – Cuban copperleaf
- Acalypha siamensis – wild tea
- Acalypha skutchii
- Acalypha sonderiana
- Acalypha suirenbiensis
- Acalypha tunguraguae
- Acalypha umbrosa
- Acalypha villicaulis
- Acalypha villosa
- Acalypha virginica – Virginia copperleaf, mercuryweed, wax balls
- Acalypha wilderi (extinct)
- Acalypha wilkesiana – Copper plant, Beefsteakplant, Fire-dragon, Jacob's-coat, Match-me-if-you-can[12]
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Acalypha. |
Wikispecies has information related to: Acalypha |
- ↑ Qin, X., et al. (2006). Acalypha chuniana (Euphorbiaceae), a new species from Hainan Province, China. Annales Botanici Fennici 43(2) 148.
- ↑ Sagun, V. G. and G. A. Levin. (2007). Four new species of Acalypha (Euphorbiaceae) from Malesia. Blumea 52(2), 351-59.
- ↑ Steinmann, V. W. and G. A. Levin. (2011). Acalypha herzogiana (Euphorbiaceae), the correct name for an intriguing and commonly cultivated species. Brittonia 63(4), 500-04.
- ↑ Charters, M. L. Acalypha. California Plant Names: Latin and Greek Meanings and Derivations.
- ↑ Acalypha. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).
- ↑ Duman, H. and S. Terzioglu. (2009). Acalypha (Euphorbiaceae): a new genus record for Turkey. Phytologia Balcanica 15(2), 171-73.
- ↑ Acalypha Taxonomic Information System
- ↑ RHS Plant Selector Acalypha hispida AGM / RHS Gardening
- ↑ RHS Plant Selector Acalypha hispaniolae AGM / RHS Gardening
- ↑ RHS Plant Selector Acalypha wilkesiana 'Hoffmannii' AGM / RHS Gardening
- ↑ Jansen, P. C. M.. 2004. Acalypha bipartita Müll.Arg. In: Grubben, G. J. H. and O. A. Denton (Eds.) PROTA 2: Vegetables/Légumes. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands.
- ↑ Acalypha wilkesiana. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).
External links
- Acalypha Taxonomic Information System. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
- GRIN Species Records of Acalypha. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).
Further reading
- Pax, F. A. & K. Hoffmann (1924): Euphorbiaceae-Crotonoideae-Acalypheae-Acalyphinae. In: Engler, A.: Das Pflanzenreich Series IV 147.XVI (85): 1-231.