Aphelandra

{{Short description|Species of plant}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|image = AphelandraSquarrosa.jpg

|image_caption = Aphelandra squarrosa

|display_parents = 2

|taxon = Aphelandra

|authority = R.Br. (1810)

|subdivision_ranks = Species

|subdivision = 206, see text

|subdivision_ref = [https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30000831-2 Aphelandra R.Br.] Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 25 January 2024.

|synonyms =

  • Amathea {{small|Raf. (1838)}}
  • Aphelandrella {{small|Mildbr. (1926)}}
  • Aphelandros {{small|St.-Lag. (1880), orth. var.}}
  • Encephalosphaera {{small|Lindau (1904)}}
  • Geissomeria {{small|Lindl. (1827)}}
  • Hemisandra {{small|Scheidw. (1842)}}
  • Hemitome {{small|Nees (1847), not validly publ.}}
  • Hydromestus {{small|Scheidw. (1842)}}
  • Lagochilium {{small|Nees (1847)}}
  • Odontophyllum {{small|Sreem. (1977), nom. illeg.}}
  • Orophochilus {{small|Lindau (1897)}}
  • Poecilocnemis {{small|Mart. ex Nees (1847)}}
  • Rhombochlamys {{small|Lindau (1897)}}
  • Sreemadhavana {{small|Rauschert (1982)}}
  • Strobilorhachis {{small|Klotzsch (1839)}}
  • Synandra {{small|Schrad. (1821), nom. illeg.}}

|synonyms_ref =

}}

Aphelandra is a genus of over 200 species of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas.

They are evergreen shrubs growing to {{convert|1|-|2|m|abbr=on}} tall, with opposite, simple leaves {{convert|5|-|30|cm|0|abbr=on}} long, often with white veins. The flowers are produced in dense spikes, with brightly coloured bracts.

Several species are grown as houseplants for their patterned leaves and brightly coloured inflorescences.

Pharmacological activity

Pharmacological reports on genus Aphelandra are Antibacterial activity, Antifungal activity and Immunomodulatory activity.{{cite journal| last = Awan, A.J.| first = Aslam, M.S | title = FAMILY ACANTHACEAE AND GENUS APHELANDRA: ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL REVIEW.| journal = International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences | volume = 6| issue = 10| year = 2014| pages = 44–55}}

Phytochemistry

Phytochemical reports on genus Aphelandra are Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Isoflavones, Benzoxazinoids-cyclic hydroxamic acid and their corresponding glucosides.

Selected species

206 species are accepted. They include:

Image:Aphelandra sinclairiana BotGardBln1105PartOfPlantWithInflorescence.JPG]]

References

{{Commons category|Aphelandra}}

{{Wikispecies|Aphelandra}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q133104}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Acanthaceae genera

Category:Flora of Pakistan

Category:Taxa named by Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773)

{{Acanthaceae-stub}}