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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Acanthus''
| image = Acanthus montanus3.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''[[Acanthus montanus]]''
| regnum = [[Plantae]]
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Lamiales]]
| familia = [[Acanthaceae]]
| genus = '''''Acanthus'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
| subdivision = See text
}}
'''''Acanthus''''' is a [[genus]] of about 30 species of [[flowering plant]]s in the family [[Acanthaceae]], native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the [[Old World]], with the highest species diversity in the [[Mediterranean region]] and [[Asia]]. Common names include '''Acanthus''' and '''Bear's breeches'''.
The genus comprises [[herbaceous]] [[perennial plant]]s, rarely [[subshrub]]s, with spiny leaves and flower [[raceme|spikes]] bearing white or purplish flowers. Size varies from 40 cm, up to 2 m tall.
;Selected species
*''[[Acanthus balcanicus]]''
*''[[Acanthus dioscoridis]]''
*''[[Acanthus eminens]]''
*''[[Acanthus hirsutus]]''
*''[[Acanthus hungaricus]]''
*''[[Acanthus ilicifolius]]''
*''[[Acanthus mollis]]''
*''[[Acanthus montanus]]''
*''[[Acanthus polystachyus]]''
*''[[Acanthus spinosus]]''
*''[[Acanthus syriacus]]''
===Cultivation and uses===
[[Image:AcanthusmollisPalatineHill.jpg|thumb|left|''Acanthus mollis'' flowering in the ruins of the [[Palatine Hill]], Rome, May 2005]]
Several species, especially ''A. spinosa'' and ''A. mollis'', are grown as [[ornamental plant]]s.
The foliage is the basis of a style of architectural ornamentation; see [[acanthus (ornament)]]. <br clear = left>
==References==
{{Wikispecies|Acanthus}}
*[http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Acanthus&SPECIES_XREF=&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= Flora Europaea: ''Acanthus'']
*[http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?61 Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Acanthus'']
*[http://www.dipbot.unict.it/orto/0359-1.html Images of Acanthus]
[[Category:Acanthaceae]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Acanthus''
| image = Acanthus montanus3.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''[[Acanthus montanus]]''
| regnum = [[Plantae]]
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Lamiales]]
| familia = [[Acanthaceae]]
| genus = '''''Acanthus'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
| subdivision = See text
}}
'''''Acanthus''''' is a [[genus]] of about 30 species of [[flowering plant]]s in the family [[Acanthaceae]], native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the [[Old World]], with the highest species diversity in the [[Mediterranean region]] and [[Asia]]. Common names include '''Acanthus''' and '''Bear's breeches'''.
The genus comprises [[herbaceous]] [[perennial plant]]s, rarely [[subshrub]]s, with spiny leaves and flower [[raceme|spikes]] bearing white or purplish flowers. Size varies from 40 cm, up to 2 m tall.
;Selected species
*''[[Acanthus balcanicus]]''
*''[[Acanthus dioscoridis]]''
*''[[Acanthus eminens]]''
*''[[Acanthus hirsutus]]''
*''[[Acanthus hungaricus]]''
*''[[Acanthus ilicifolius]]''
*''[[Acanthus mollis]]''
*''[[Acanthus montanus]]''
*''[[Acanthus polystachyus]]''
*''[[Acanthus spinosus]]''
*''[[Acanthus syriacus]]''
===Cultivation and uses===
[[Image:AcanthusmollisPalatineHill.jpg|thumb|left|''Acanthus mollis'' flowering in the ruins of the [[Palatine Hill]], Rome, May 2005]]
Several species, especially ''A. spinosa'' and ''A. mollis'', are grown as [[ornamental plant]]s.
The foliage is the basis of a style of architectural ornamentation; see [[acanthus (ornament)]]. <br clear = left>
==References==
{{Wikispecies|Acanthus}}
*[http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Acanthus&SPECIES_XREF=&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= Flora Europaea: ''Acanthus'']
*[http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?61 Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Acanthus'']
*[http://www.dipbot.unict.it/orto/0359-1.html Images of Acanthus]
[[Category:Acanthaceae]]
