Acanthus (genus)

Acanthus (genus)

Taxobox
name = "Acanthus"


image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Acanthus montanus"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Lamiales
familia = Acanthaceae
genus = "Acanthus"
genus_authority = L.
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text

"Acanthus" is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants 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 plants, rarely subshrubs, with spiny leaves and flower spikes bearing white or purplish flowers. Size varies from 40 cm, up to 2 m tall. An example of one such plant is the Shrimp Plant which can be found in the state of Florida in the United States.

elected 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

Several species, especially "A. spinosa" and "A. mollis", are grown as ornamental plants.

The foliage is the basis of a style of architectural ornamentation; see acanthus (ornament).

References

* [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]


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  • Acanthus — (plural: acanthus , rarely acanthuses (English) or acanthi (Latin), or feminine form acantha) is the Latinized form of the Greek Acanthos or Akanthos. It can also be used as the prefix Acantho , meaning thorny . It may refer to:Botany* Acanthus… …   Wikipedia

  • Acanthus — A*can thus, n.; pl. E. {Acanthuses}, L. {Acanthi}. [L., from Gr. ?. Cf. {Acantha}.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Bot.) A genus of herbaceous prickly plants, found in the south of Europe, Asia Minor, and India; bear s breech. [1913 Webster] 2. (Arch.) An… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Acanthus spinosus — Acanthus A*can thus, n.; pl. E. {Acanthuses}, L. {Acanthi}. [L., from Gr. ?. Cf. {Acantha}.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Bot.) A genus of herbaceous prickly plants, found in the south of Europe, Asia Minor, and India; bear s breech. [1913 Webster] 2.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • acanthus — [ə kan′thəs] n. pl. acanthuses or acanthi [ə kan′thī΄, ə kan′thē΄] [ModL < L < Gr akanthos: see ACANTHO ] 1. any of a genus (Acanthus) of thistlelike plants of the acanthus family with lobed, often spiny leaves and long spikes of white or… …   English World dictionary

  • Acanthus — Genus of spiny leaved Mediterranean plants …   Dictionary of molecular biology

  • Acanthus mollis — Taxobox name = Acanthus mollis image width = 240px regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis = Magnoliopsida ordo = Lamiales familia = Acanthaceae genus = Acanthus species = A. mollis binomial = Acanthus mollis binomial authority = L.… …   Wikipedia

  • acanthus family — noun widely distributed herbs and shrubs and trees; sometimes placed in the order Scrophulariales • Syn: ↑Acanthaceae, ↑family Acanthaceae • Hypernyms: ↑asterid dicot family • Member Holonyms: ↑Polemoniales, ↑order Polem …   Useful english dictionary

  • acanthus — noun (plural acanthus) Etymology: New Latin, genus name, from Greek akanthos, an acanthus, from akantha thorn Date: 1551 1. any of a genus (Acanthus of the family Acanthaceae, the acanthus family) of prickly perennial herbs chiefly of the… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • acanthus — acanthine /euh kan thin, thuyn/, adj. /euh kan theuhs/, n., pl. acanthuses, acanthi / thuy/. 1. any of several plants of the genus Acanthus, of the Mediterranean region, having spiny or toothed leaves and showy, white or purplish flowers. Cf.… …   Universalium

  • Acanthus montanus — Taxobox name = Acanthus montanus color = lightgreen image caption = Acanthus montanus image width = 240px regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis = Magnoliopsida ordo = Lamiales familia = Acanthaceae genus = Acanthus species = A.… …   Wikipedia

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