Fittonia
The Fittonien ( Fittonia ), also called silver mesh leaves, are a genus within the family of Acanthaceae ( Acanthaceae ). They are native to tropical South America and some varieties are used as ornamental plants.
Description
The Fittonien are on the ground crawling, perennial herbaceous plants. The simple leaves are dark green with conspicuous white to purple violet stripes along the leaf veins.
The stand together in aged men inflorescences flowers have double lip corollas.
Dissemination
The Fittonia species are native to tropical South America.
System
The first description of the genus Fittonia in 1865 by the Belgian botanist Henri Eugène Lucien Gaëtan Coemans in Van Houtte and Louis Benoit: Journal Général d' Horticulture, Volume 15, pp. 185-186. The genus name honors the English Fittonia siblings Elizabeth and Sarah Mary Fitton (about 1810-1860 ); The two sisters were teachers and writers. A synonym for Fittonia Coem. is nobility Aster Lindl. ex Veitch.
The species delimitation within the genus Fittonia is partly disputed; 2005 akzepierte Olmstead Fittonia two species in Peru:
- Fittonia albivenis (. Lindl. ex hort Veitch ) Brummitt ( Syn: .. . Nobility Aster albivenis Lindl ex hort Veitch, Fittonia argyroneura Coem, Fittonia verschaffeltii ( Lem. ) Van Houtte, Fittonia verschaffeltii var argyroneura ( Coem. ) rule Gymnostachyum verschaffeltii Lem. )
- Fittonia gigantea Linden