Fittonia albivenis

Fittonia albivensis

Fittonia albivenis is a plant of the genus Fittonien ( Fittonia ) in the family of Acanthaceae ( Acanthaceae ).

Description

Fittonia albivenis is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows crawling on the ground. The leaves are ovate to oblong and 7 to 10 cm long; they are dark green with conspicuous white stripes along the leaf veins. There are also forms in which the venation is colored crimson.

The yellow flowers are in terminal spikes.

Distribution and location

The home of Fittonia albivenis located in tropical South America. Its distribution area covers Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia and northern Brazil.

The plant loves heat and high humidity. Even with winter temperatures below 16 ° C, the plants may be damaged.

System

The description below the currently valid name of the English botanist Richard Fittonia albivenis Kenneth Brummitt was published in 1979. Synonyms are noble Aster albivenis Lindl. ex hort. Veitch, Fittonia argyroneura Coem. , Fittonia verschaffeltii ( Lem. ) Van Houtte, Fittonia verschaffeltii var argyroneura ( Coem. ) rule and Gymnostachyum verschaffeltii Lem ..

Especially the name Fittonia verschaffeltii is still frequently in use.

Use

The leaves of this species are prepared as a tea in the northwestern part of the Amazon region and used for toothache.