''Pentas'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Rubiaceae Rubiaceae () is a family (biology), family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with Petiole ( ...

. The genus is found in tropical and

southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost region of Africa. No definition is agreed upon, but some groupings include the United Nations geoscheme for Africa, United Nations geoscheme, the intergovernmental Southern African Development Community, and ...

, the

Comoros The Comoros, officially the Union of the Comoros, is an archipelagic country made up of three islands in Southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city is Moroni, ...

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

, and the

Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...

. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of red, white, pink, and purple. ''Pentas'' are attractive to

butterflies Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...

and

hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the Family (biology), biological family Trochilidae. With approximately 366 species and 113 genus, genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but most species are found in Cen ...

s. Some species are commonly cultivated and can be grown in pots and baskets. Species such as '' Pentas lanceolata'' can withstand full sunlight and need little to no care, growing even in locations that are dry and hot.Floridata: ''Pentas lanceolata''.
Floridata.

Species

*'' Pentas angustifolia'' *'' Pentas arvensis'' *'' Pentas caffensis'' *'' Pentas cleistostoma'' *''

Pentas glabrescens ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of re ...

'' *'' Pentas herbacea'' *'' Pentas lanceolata'' - Egyptian starcluster *'' Pentas micrantha'' *'' Pentas nervosa'' *'' Pentas pauciflora'' *'' Pentas pubiflora'' *''

Pentas purpurea ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Family (biology), family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowe ...

'' *'' Pentas purseglovei'' *'' Pentas suswaensis'' *'' Pentas tibestica'' *'' Pentas zanzibarica''

Image gallery

File:Pentas 'Butterfly-Deep-Rose'.jpg, Pentas lanceolata 'Butterfly-Deep-Rose'

References

Rubiaceae genera {{Rubioideae-stub