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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Aeschynanthus''
| image = Aeschynanthus.jpg
| image_width = 220px
| image_caption = ''[[Aeschynanthus speciosus]]''
| regnum = [[Plantae]]
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Lamiales]]
| familia = [[Gesneriaceae]]
| genus = '''''Aeschynanthus'''''
| genus_authority = [[William Jack (botanist)|Jack]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
See text.
}}
'''''Aeschynanthus''''' is a [[genus]] of ca. 185 species of [[tropical]] [[herb]]s. They are found in southern and southeastern [[Asia]], the islands of [[Indonesia]], [[New Guinea]], and the [[Philippines]]. They are usually trailing [[epiphyte]]s with brightly colored [[flower]]s that are pollinated by [[sunbird]]s. Among the better known species are ''[[Aeschynanthus lobbianus]]'' and ''[[Aeschynanthus radicans]]''. The genus name comes from a [[contraction]] of ''aischuno'' (to be ashamed) and ''anthos'' (flower). The common name for some species is "lipstick plant", which comes from the appearance of the developing buds of some species. A full list of the accepted species and their synonyms can be found in the Smithsonian Institution's World Checklist of Gesneriaceae.
The genus contains a large variety of plants with differing features. Some have thick, [[waxy cuticle]]s (as in ''A. lobbianus'') others have much softer [[leaf|leaves]] (as in ''[[Aeschynanthus hildebrandii|A. hildebrandii]]''). Species such as ''[[Aeschynanthus speciosus|A. speciosus]]'' are large where ''[[Aeschynanthus micranthus|A. micranthus]]'' is much smaller and trailing.
;Selected species
*''[[Aeschynanthus hildebrandii]]''
*''[[Aeschynanthus lobbianus]]''
*''[[Aeschynanthus micranthus]]''
*''[[Aeschynanthus radicans]]''
*''[[Aeschynanthus speciosus]]''
*''[[Aeschynanthus longiflorus]]''
*''[[Aeschynanthus perakensis]]''
*''[[Aeschynanthus albidus]]''
*''[[Aeschynanthus angustifolius]]''
===Cultivation===
They require good lighting and semi-moist, well-drained [[soil]] conditions to grow, though they vary and some require more moist soil (such as ''A. hildebrandii''). They also prefer [[warm]] and [[humid]] conditions.
''Aeschynanthus lobbianus'' needs high light intensity to induce flowering.
===External links===
*[http://www.gesneriads.ca/genaesch.htm ''Aeschynanthus''] from [http://www.gesneriads.ca The Gesneriad Reference Web]
*[http://www.botanik.univie.ac.at/morphology/genera_gesneriaceae/genera/aeschynanthus.htm ''Aeschynanthus''] from [http://www.botanik.univie.ac.at/morphology/genera_gesneriaceae The Genera of Gesneriaceae]
*[http://persoon.si.edu/gesneriaceae/checklist World Checklist of Gesneriaceae]