Aphelandra is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of about 170 species of flowering plant

Flowering plant

The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...

s in the family Acanthaceae

Acanthaceae

The family Acanthaceae is a taxon of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing almost 250 genera and about 2500 species....

, native to tropical regions of the Americas

Americas

The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...

.

They are evergreen

Evergreen

In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...

 shrub

Shrub

A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...

s growing to 1-2 m tall, with opposite, simple leaves

Leaf

A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....

 5-30 cm long, often with white veins. The flower

Flower

A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...

s are produced in dense spikes, with brightly coloured bract

Bract

In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...

s.

Several species are grown as houseplant

Houseplant

A houseplant is a plant that is grown indoors in places such as residences and offices. Houseplants are commonly grown for decorative purposes, positive psychological effects, or health reasons such as indoor air purification...

s for their patterned leaves and brightly coloured inflorescences.

Selected species

• Aphelandra albinotata
  Aphelandra albinotata
  Aphelandra albinotata is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
  
  
• Aphelandra anderssonii
  Aphelandra anderssonii
  Aphelandra anderssonii is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
  
  
• Aphelandra attenuata
  Aphelandra attenuata
  Aphelandra attenuata is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
  
  
• Aphelandra aurantiaca (Scheidw.) Lindl.
  • Synonyms - Aphelandra fascinator, Aphelandra nitens
• Aphelandra azuayensis
  Aphelandra azuayensis
  Aphelandra azuayensis is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
  
  
• Aphelandra bahiensis (Nees) Wassh.
• Aphelandra chamissoniana Nees
• Aphelandra chrysantha
  Aphelandra chrysantha
  Aphelandra chrysantha is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
  
  
• Aphelandra cinnabarina
  Aphelandra cinnabarina
  Aphelandra cinnabarina is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
  
  
• Aphelandra claussenii Wassh.
• Aphelandra colorata (Vell. Conc.) Wassh.
• Aphelandra deppeana
• Aphelandra dodsonii
  Aphelandra dodsonii
  Aphelandra dodsonii is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
  
  
• Aphelandra galba
  Aphelandra galba
  Aphelandra galba is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
  
  
• Aphelandra guayasii
  Aphelandra guayasii
  Aphelandra guayasii is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
  
  
• Aphelandra gunnari
  Aphelandra gunnari
  Aphelandra gunnari is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
  
  
• Aphelandra harleyi Wassh.
• Aphelandra harlingii
  Aphelandra harlingii
  Aphelandra harlingii is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
  
  

• Aphelandra ignea (Schrader) Nees ex Steudel
• Aphelandra marginata Nees & Martius
• Aphelandra maximiliana (Nees) Benth
• Aphelandra mirabilis Rizzini
• Aphelandra neesiana Wassh.
• Aphelandra nemoralis Nees
• Aphelandra loxensis
  Aphelandra loxensis
  Aphelandra loxensis is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
  
  
• Aphelandra nuda Nees
• Aphelandra obtusa (Nees) Wassh.
• Aphelandra obtusifolia (Nees) Wassh.
• Aphelandra paulensis Wassh.
• Aphelandra phaina
  Aphelandra phaina
  Aphelandra phaina is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
  
  
• Aphelandra phrynioides Lindau
• Aphelandra rigida
  Aphelandra rigida
  Aphelandra rigida is a plant species in the family Acanthaceae, which is native to Atlantic Forest vegetation of Brazil.-External links:*...
  
  
• Aphelandra sinclairiana Nees - Coral Aphelandra
• Aphelandra squarrosa
  Aphelandra squarrosa
  Aphelandra squarrosa is a plant species in the family Acanthaceae, which is native to Atlantic Forest vegetation of Brazil. This plant is often used as a house plant. This plant is cited in Flora Brasiliensis by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius.-Plant Care:This plant likes lots of light, but...
  
  - Zebra Plant
• Aphelandra stephanophysa
  Aphelandra stephanophysa
  Aphelandra stephanophysa is a plant species in the family Acanthaceae, which is native to Atlantic Forest vegetation of Brazil. This plant is cited in Flora Brasiliensis by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius.-External links:...
  
  
• Aphelandra sulphurea
  Aphelandra sulphurea
  Aphelandra sulphurea is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
  
  
• Aphelandra tetragona (Vahl) Nees
• Aphelandra tridentata
• Aphelandra zamorensis
  Aphelandra zamorensis
  Aphelandra zamorensis is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...