Aphelandra Explained

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 1m-2mm (03feet-07feetm) tall, with opposite, simple leaves 5- 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.^[1]

Phytochemistry

Phytochemical reports on genus Aphelandra are Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Isoflavones, Benzoxazinoids-cyclic hydroxamic acid and their corresponding glucosides.^[1]

Selected species

206 species are accepted. They include:

• Aphelandra albinotata
• Aphelandra anderssonii
• Aphelandra attenuata
• Aphelandra aurantiaca (Scheidw.) Lindl. (synonyms Aphelandra fascinator and Aphelandra nitens^[2])
• Aphelandra azuayensis
• Aphelandra bahiensis (Nees) Wassh.
• Aphelandra chamissoniana Nees
• Aphelandra chrysantha
• Aphelandra cinnabarina
• Aphelandra claussenii Wassh.
• Aphelandra colorata (Vell. Conc.) Wassh.
• Aphelandra dodsonii
• Aphelandra galba
• Aphelandra guayasii
• Aphelandra gunnari
• Aphelandra harleyi Wassh.
• Aphelandra harlingii

• Aphelandra ignea (Schrader) Nees ex Steudel
• Aphelandra lineariloba Leonard
• Aphelandra longiflora
• Aphelandra madrensis Lindau
• Aphelandra marginata Nees & Martius
• Aphelandra maximiliana (Nees) Benth
• Aphelandra mirabilis Rizzini
• Aphelandra neesiana Wassh.
• Aphelandra nemoralis Nees
• Aphelandra loxensis
• Aphelandra nuda Nees
• Aphelandra obtusa (Nees) Wassh.
• Aphelandra obtusifolia (Nees) Wassh.
• Aphelandra paulensis Wassh.
• Aphelandra phaina
• Aphelandra phrynioides Lindau
• Aphelandra rigida
• Aphelandra schottiana
• Aphelandra sinclairiana Nees - Coral aphelandra
• Aphelandra squarrosa (unplaced) – Zebra plant
• Aphelandra stephanophysa
• Aphelandra sulphurea
• Aphelandra tetragona (Vahl) Nees
• Aphelandra tridentata
• Aphelandra zamorensis

Notes and References

1. Awan, A.J.. Aslam, M.S . FAMILY ACANTHACEAE AND GENUS APHELANDRA: ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL REVIEW.. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences . 6. 10. 2014. 44–55.
2. Web site: Aphelandra aurantiaca . 2008-11-08 . 2020-09-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200915203758/http://www.plantago.nl/plantindex/plants/a/Aphelandra/Aphelandra50366.htm . dead .