Hemigraphis repanda (Dragons Tongue)

Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Dragons Tongue, Waffle Plant

Description

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Family Acanthaceae

The Acanthaceae are mostly herbs or shrubs comprising about 250 genera and 2,500 species, including twining forms. The leaves are simple , opposite and decussate; stipules are lacking. The flowers are bisexual , zygomorphic, and usually are associated with conspicuous , often brightly colored bracts. The calyx is usually deeply 4-5 lobed or sometimes is highly reduced with more numerous minute teeth. The corolla is sympetalous , usually 5-merous, mostly zygomorphic, and commonly 2 lipped. The androecium usually consists of 4 didynamous stamens or only 2 stamens adnate to the corolla tube or epigynous zone, alternate with the lobes . The gynoecium consists of a single compound pistil of 2 carpels, a single style, and a superior ovary with 2 locules, each with usually 2-10 axile ovules in one or two collateral vertical tiers . An annular nectary disk is usually found around the base of the ovary. The fruit is commonly an elastically dehiscent loculicidal capsule. The seed stalk or funiculus of each seed is modified into a hook shaped jaculator or retinaculum that functions in flinging out the seeds during dehiscence. -- Gerald Carr.

Physical Description

Habit: Evergreen .

Flowers: Bloom Period: March, April, May, June, July, August. • Flower Color: near white, white

Size/Age/Growth

Size: 6-12" tall.

Biology

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Growth

Culture: Space 15-18" apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 6.1 • Maximum pH: 7.5

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade.

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 11. (map)

Taxonomy

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Domain: Eukaryota () - Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Plantae () - Haeckel, 1866 - Plants
  - Subkingdom: Viridaeplantae () - Cavalier-Smith, 1981
    - Phylum: Tracheophyta () - Sinnott, 1935 ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - Vascular Plants
      - Subphylum: Euphyllophytina ()
        Infraphylum: Radiatopses () - Kenrick & Crane, 1997
        Class: Magnoliopsida () - Brongniart, 1843 - Dicotyledons
        Subclass: Asteridae () - Takhtajan, 1967
        Superorder: Lamianae () - Takhtajan, 1967
        Order: Lamiales () - Bromhead, 1838
        Family: Acanthaceae () - A.L. de Jussieu, 1789, nom. cons. - acanthaces, acanthus
        Genus: Hemigraphis () - C.G.D. Nees, in Alph. de Candolle, 1847
        Specific epithet: repanda
        Botanical name: - Hemigraphis repanda