Acalypha
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 Acalypha hispida | ||||||||||||||||||
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*Acalypha bipartita
et al. |
Acalypha (from Greek, "nettle") is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae and the sole genus of the subtribe Acalyphinae. With 450 to 500 species of herbs to shrubs, the genus is only behind Euphorbia, Croton and Phyllanthus in term of diversity. Acalypha hispida, cultivated as houseplant because of its colorful and texturally exciting flowers, is by far the best-known species. Others are grown for their foliage. Acalypha bipartita is eaten as a vegetable in some parts of Africa. [1]
Distribution
These species are mostly tropical or subtropical (but not present in Hawaii and several other Pacific Islands), with a few representatives in temperate zones. The Americas contain two third of the known species, distributed from southern United States to Uruguay and northern Argentina.
Taxonomy
The following genera have been brought into synonymy with Acalypha:
- Acalyphes Hassk.
- Acalyphopsis Pax & K.Hoffm.
- Calyptrospatha Klotzsch ex Baill.
- Caturus L.
- Corythea S.Watson
- Cupameni Adans.
- Galurus Spreng.
- Gymnalypha Griseb.
- Linostachys Klotzsch ex Schltdl.
- Mercuriastrum Fabr.
- Odonteilema Turcz.
- Paracelsea Zoll.
- Ricinocarpus Kuntze
- Schizogyne Ehrenb. ex Pax
References
- Pax, F. & K. Hoffmann (1924) in Engler, Adolf: Das Pflanzenreich, Heft (Fascicle)85:IV.147.XVI:Euphorbiaceae-Crotonoideae-Acalypheae-Acalyphinae, 12 [monographic revision]
- ↑ Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (2004) Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA Foundation, Wageningen; Backhuys, Leiden; CTA, Wageningen.
