''Sanchezia'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of the

plant Plants are predominantly Photosynthesis, photosynthetic eukaryotes of the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all curr ...

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Acanthaceae Acanthaceae is a family (the acanthus family) of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing almost 250 genera and about 2500 species. Most are tropical herbs, shrubs, or twining vines; some are epiphytes. Only a few species are distributed in ...

. It is estimated to contain about 20 to 50

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

. Members of this genus are shrubs, rarely small

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

s or

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicina ...

s, occurring in the lowlands of tropical

South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

and

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

. A close relative is ''

Suessenguthia ''Suessenguthia'' is a genus of the Acanthaceae plant family comprising six species of shrubs with showy, tubular flowers arranged in few-flowered heads. It occurs in the lowlands and Andean foothills of southern Peru, Bolivia, and the Brazilian ...

'', which looks quite similar. Because they have large, colorful bracts and flowers, and sometimes even colorful leaves, several

are cultivated as ornamental plants throughout the tropics and in botanical gardens of temperate areas. Examples for species well known from cultivation are '' S. nobilis'', '' S. parvibracteata'' and '' S. speciosa''. In some areas, ornamental species have become problematic as

invasive weed An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species adv ...

s. On the other hand, '' S. lampra'' from

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechuan ...

is almost extinct. ''Sanchezia'' is named for José Sánchez, a nineteenth-century professor of botany at

Cádiz Cádiz (, , ) is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the Province of Cádiz, one of eight that make up the autonomous community of Andalusia. Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

Selected species

* ''

Sanchezia lampra ''Sanchezia lampra'' is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. References Flora of Ecuador lampra Lampra may re ...

'' * ''

Sanchezia ovata ''Sanchezia'' is a genus of the plant family Acanthaceae. It is estimated to contain about 20 to 50 species. Members of this genus are shrubs, rarely small trees or herbs, occurring in the lowlands of tropical South and Central America. A clo ...

'' Ruiz & Pav. * ''

Sanchezia parvibracteata ''Sanchezia'' is a genus of the plant family Acanthaceae. It is estimated to contain about 20 to 50 species. Members of this genus are shrubs, rarely small trees or herbs, occurring in the lowlands of tropical South and Central America. A clo ...

'' * ''

Sanchezia parviflora ''Sanchezia parviflora'' is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by ha ...

'' * ''

Sanchezia peruviana ''Sanchezia'' is a genus of the plant family Acanthaceae. It is estimated to contain about 20 to 50 species. Members of this genus are shrubs, rarely small trees or herbs, occurring in the lowlands of tropical South and Central America. A clo ...

'' * ''

Sanchezia putumayensis ''Sanchezia'' is a genus of the plant family Acanthaceae. It is estimated to contain about 20 to 50 species. Members of this genus are shrubs, rarely small trees or herbs, occurring in the lowlands of tropical South and Central America. A clo ...

'' * ''

Sanchezia sericea ''Sanchezia sericea'' is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habita ...

'' * ''

Sanchezia speciosa ''Sanchezia'' is a genus of the plant family Acanthaceae. It is estimated to contain about 20 to 50 species. Members of this genus are shrubs, rarely small trees or herbs, occurring in the lowlands of tropical South and Central America. A clo ...

'' Leonard :* ''

Sanchezia nobilis ''Sanchezia'' is a genus of the plant family Acanthaceae. It is estimated to contain about 20 to 50 species. Members of this genus are shrubs, rarely small trees or herbs, occurring in the lowlands of tropical South and Central America. A clo ...

'' ( zh) Hook.f.
/ref> :* '' Sanchezia oblonga'' ( :wikispecies:Sanchezia oblonga)

Footnotes

References

* (1987): ''Tropical Shrubs''. University of Hawaii Press. * (1964): ''Sanchezia'' and related American Acanthaceae. ''

Rhodora ''Rhododendron canadense'', the rhodora or Canada rosebay, is a deciduous flowering shrub that is native to northeastern North America. Classification Today's botanists consider the rhodora to be a distant relative of the other North Ameri ...

'' 66: 313-343.

External links

Tree of Life project''Sanchezia'' as an invasive weed
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2492116 Acanthaceae genera Taxa named by José Antonio Pavón Jiménez