Graptophyllinae

Manzitto-Tripp, Erin A., Darbyshire, Iain, Daniel, Lucinda A. McDade Thomas F. & Kiel, Carrie A., 2022, Revised classification of Acanthaceae and worldwide dichotomous keys, TAXON 71 (1), pp. 103-153 : 141

Graptophyllinae T.Anderson in J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 7: 17. 1863, emend. Kiel, McDade, I.Darbysh. & T.F.Daniel –

Type: Graptophyllum Nees.

Perennial (rarely annual) herbs or shrubs or small trees with cystoliths; leaves opposite; inflorescences terminal to axillary, form highly variable, inflorescences consisting of 1- to many-flowered dichasia in leaf axils or in axils of bracts in axillary and/or terminal spikes, racemes, or thyrses (or, when branched, in panicles of these), flowers subtended by paired bracteoles, bracts and/or bracteoles inconspicuous or conspicuous; corollas variable in size, shape and color, bilabiate to only weakly zygomorphic, rugula absent; androecium either of 4 stamens or of 2 stamens plus 2 staminodes, 2 pairs of stamens (or pairs comprising 1 stamen plus 1 staminode) sometimes with filaments basally fused, anthers in taxa with 2 stamens either bithecous or monothecous, anthers in taxa with 4 stamens either all bithecous or with 1 pair bithecous and 1 pair monothecous, thecae of a pair subequally or unequally inserted on filament, parallel or slightly oblique, with or without short basal appendages; stigma usually bilobed, but sometimes subfunnelform (e.g., some Chileranthemum ); capsule clavate, (2–) 4-seeded, retinacula present and not separating from inner capsule wall at maturity; seeds (where known) discoid to lenticular, surfaces variously ornamented or smooth, trichomes absent; pollen most frequently prolate and 3-colporate, 6-pseudocolpate but can be 4-colporate, 8-pseudocolpate or sometimes 4-por(or)ate and echinate (in Isotheca and some Herpetacanthus ).