Brillantaisia Explained

Brillantaisia is a genus of plants in the family Acanthaceae. They are native to the African tropics and subtropics, including Madagascar.^[1] They may grow from 20 cm to 2 m in height. Their hirsute stems are square in cross-section and their heart-shaped leaves have an opposite arrangement. Their purple or white pea-like flowers produce long, cigar-shaped seed pods.^[2] They reproduce easily from seeds or vegetatively. One species, B. lamium, is invasive in Queensland.^[2]

Species

14 species are accepted.

• Brillantaisia cicatricosa Lindau
• Brillantaisia debilis Burkill
• Brillantaisia fulva Lindau
• Brillantaisia grottanellii Pic.Serm.
• Brillantaisia lamium (Nees) Benth.
• Brillantaisia lancifolia Lindau
• Brillantaisia madagascariensis T.Anderson ex Lindau
• Brillantaisia oligantha Milne-Redh.
• Brillantaisia owariensis P.Beauv.
• Brillantaisia pubescens T.Anderson ex Oliv.
• Brillantaisia richardsiae Vollesen
• Brillantaisia riparia (Vollesen & Brummitt) Sidwell
• Brillantaisia stenopteris Sidwell
• Brillantaisia vogeliana Benth.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Genus: Brillantaisia. biodiversity explorer. iziko museums. 29 January 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110921165917/http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/plants/acanthaceae/brillantaisia.htm. 21 September 2011.
2. Web site: Brillantaisia lamium. Queensland government. 29 January 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130515041113/http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/documents/Biosecurity_EnvironmentalPests/IPA-Brillantaisia-PP131.pdf. 15 May 2013.