Hypoestes

Hypoestes
Polka Dot Plants (H. phyllostachya)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Acanthaceae
Subfamily:	Acanthoideae
Tribe:	Ruellieae
Subtribe:	Justiciinae
Genus:	Hypoestes Sol. ex R.Br.
Diversity
Over 100 species
Synonyms
Amphiestes S.Moore Periestes Baill.

Hypoestes is a flowering plant genus with many dozens of species. They are widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical lands around the Indian Ocean, and some adjacent regions.

It belongs to the subfamily Acanthoideae of the acanthus family Acanthaceae. Therein, it is classified in the subtribe Justiciinae of tribe Ruellieae, making it a relative of such American genera as the mosaic plants (Fittonia), water-willows (Justicia) and wrightworts (Carlowrightia).

Many of these herbaceous to small shrubby plants of the undergrowth have boldly patterned leaves, typically featuring red colors. Some are grown as ornamental plants or pot plants. Most well-known among these are H. phyllostachya of Madagascar and its cultivars, commonly called polka dot plant.

Species

Flowering stalks of Hypoestes aristata

Hypoestes aculior Hypoestes acuminata Baker Hypoestes addisoniense Elmer Hypoestes adoensis Hypoestes aldabrensis Hypoestes alsine Hypoestes andamanensis Hypoestes angusta Benoist Hypoestes angustilabiata Benoist Hypoestes anisophylla Nees Hypoestes annua Hypoestes apoensis Elmer Hypoestes arachnopus Benoist Hypoestes aristata (= H. antennifera, H. barteri, H. hildebrandtii, H. insularis, H. latifolia, H. mollis, H. paniculata, H. preussii, H. staudtii, H. verticillaris (L.f.) Sol. ex Roem. & Schult., H. violaceotincta) Hypoestes australiensis Hypoestes axillaris Benoist Hypoestes bakeri Vatke Hypoestes bantamensis Hypoestes betsiliensis S.Moore Hypoestes bodinieri H.Lév. Hypoestes bojeriana Nees Hypoestes bosseri Benoist Hypoestes brachiata Baker Hypoestes busii Hypoestes callicoma Hypoestes caloi Hypoestes calycina Benoist Hypoestes cancellata Nees Hypoestes capitata Benoist Hypoestes carnosula Hypoestes catati Benoist Hypoestes caudata Benoist Hypoestes celebica Hypoestes cephalotes Hypoestes cernua Nees Hypoestes chloroclada Baker Hypoestes chlorotricha(Bojer ex Nees) Benoist Hypoestes ciliata Hypoestes cinerascens Benoist Hypoestes cinerea Hypoestes clinopodia Hypoestes cochlearia Benoist Hypoestes comorensis Baker Hypoestes comosa Benoist Hypoestes complanata Benoist Hypoestes confertiflora Hypoestes congestiflora Baker Hypoestes consanguinea Lindau Hypoestes contorta Nees Hypoestes corymbosa Baker Hypoestes cruenta Benoist Hypoestes cumingiana Hypoestes decaisneana Nees Hypoestes decaryana Benoist Hypoestes densiflora Hypoestes depauperata Hypoestes diclipteroides Nees Hypoestes discreta Hypoestes distans Hypoestes echioides Hypoestes egena Benoist Hypoestes elegans Nees Hypoestes elliotii S.Moore Hypoestes erythrostachya Benoist Hypoestes fascicularis Nees Hypoestes fastuosa Hypoestes fimbriata Hypoestes flavescens Benoist Hypoestes flavovirens Benoist

Hypoestes flexibilis Nees Hypoestes floribunda R.Br. Hypoestes forskaolii (Vahl) R.Br. (= H. forskalei, H. verticillaris auct. non L.f.) Hypoestes glabrata Hypoestes glandulifera Scott-Elliot Hypoestes glandulosa (S.Moore) Benoist Hypoestes gracilis Nees Hypoestes grandifolia Hypoestes halconensis Hypoestes hastata Benoist Hypoestes hirsuta Nees Hypoestes humbertii Benoist Hypoestes humifusa Benoist Hypoestes inaequalis Hypoestes incompta Scott-Elliot Hypoestes inconspicua Balf.f. Hypoestes involucrata Hypoestes isalensis Benoist Hypoestes jasminoides Baker Hypoestes juanensis Benoist Hypoestes kilimandscharica Hypoestes kjellbergii Hypoestes kuntzei Hypoestes laeta Benoist Hypoestes lanata Hypoestes larsenii Hypoestes lasiocladus Nees Hypoestes lasiostegia Nees Hypoestes lasiostegia var. sanguinolenta (Van Houtte) Benoist Hypoestes laxiflora Hypoestes leptostegia S.Moore Hypoestes linearis Elmer Hypoestes longifolia Hypoestes longilabiata Scott-Elliot Hypoestes longispica Benoist Hypoestes longituba Benoist Hypoestes loniceroides Baker Hypoestes macilenta Benoist Hypoestes maculosa Nees Hypoestes malaccensis Hypoestes mangokiensis Benoist Hypoestes menthaefolia Hypoestes mindorensis Hypoestes mlanjensis Hypoestes mollior Hypoestes mollissima (Vahl) Nees Hypoestes moschata Hypoestes multispicata Benoist Hypoestes neesiana Hypoestes nummularifolia Baker Hypoestes obtusifolia Baker Hypoestes oppositiflora Benoist Hypoestes oxystegia Nees Hypoestes palawanensis Hypoestes parvula Benoist Hypoestes pedunculosa Hypoestes peristrophoides Hypoestes perrieri Benoist Hypoestes phyllostachya Baker Hypoestes plumosa Hypoestes poilanei Hypoestes poissonii Benoist Hypoestes polymorpha Hypoestes polythyrsa Hypoestes populifolia Hypoestes potamophila Heine Hypoestes psilochlamys

Hypoestes psilostachys Hypoestes pubescens Hypoestes pubiflora T.Anderson Hypoestes pulchra Nees Hypoestes pulgarensis Elmer Hypoestes purpurascens Hypoestes purpurea Hypoestes radicans Hypoestes richardii Nees Hypoestes rodriguesiana Balf.f. Hypoestes rosea P.Beauv. Hypoestes rothii Hypoestes saboureaui Benoist Hypoestes salajeriana Hypoestes salensis Hypoestes salicifolia Hypoestes saxicola Nees Hypoestes schmidtii Hypoestes scoparia Benoist Hypoestes secundiflora Baker Hypoestes sennii Hypoestes serpens (Vahl) R.Br. (= H. adscendens, H. calaminthoides) Hypoestes sessilifolia Baker Hypoestes setigera Benoist Hypoestes sibulanensis Elmer Hypoestes simensis Hypoestes sinica Hypoestes sokotrana Hypoestes sparsiflora Hypoestes spicata Nees Hypoestes stachyoides Baker Hypoestes stenoptera Benoist Hypoestes strigata Benoist Hypoestes strobilifera S.Moore Hypoestes suaveolens Hypoestes subcapitata Hypoestes taeniata Benoist Hypoestes talbotii S.Moore Hypoestes tanganyikensis Hypoestes tenuifolia Hypoestes tenuis Hypoestes tenuispica Hypoestes tetraptera Benoist Hypoestes teucrioides Nees (= H. microphylla) Hypoestes teysmanniana Hypoestes thomsoniana Nees Hypoestes thothathrii Hypoestes tomentosa Hypoestes toroensis Hypoestes transversa Benoist Hypoestes trichochlamys Baker Hypoestes triflora (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult. (= H. phaylopsoides) Hypoestes triticea Lindau Hypoestes tubiflora Benoist Hypoestes udangensis Hypoestes umbellata Hypoestes uniflora Hypoestes unilateralis Baker Hypoestes urophora Benoist Hypoestes vagabunda Benoist Hypoestes vidalii Hypoestes viguieri Benoist Hypoestes volkensii Hypoestes wallichii Hypoestes warpurioides Benoist Hypoestes zollingeriana

Hypoestes commonly called the Polka Dot Plant, is native to Madagascar. It lives on the forest floor, beneath the emergent, canopy, and understory layers.

References

• H. phyllostachya USDA Profile
• Hypoestes, Polka Dot Plant