Description:

• Shrublets, sometimes with prostrate branches, usually with woody rootstock
• Leaves entire to faintly toothed
• Inflorescence axillary, spicate, dense, unilateral; bracts sometimes spinescent; bracteoles 0
• Calyx irregular, 2-lipped, pilose; upper lip 3-fid; lower lip 2-fid; tube shorter than lobes
• Corolla subregular; lobes 5, triangular; aestivation induplicate; tube longer than lobes, ± funnel-shaped, with reflexed hairs inside and outside
• Androecium: fertile stamens 4, didynamous; filaments arising in pairs in upper part of corolla tube, scarcely longer than anthers, included, bifurcate; upper pair of anthers 2-thecous; lower pair monothecous or with rudimentary second theca; thecae parallel, ciliate, muticous; staminodes 0
• Pollen spheroidal, 3-colporate; surface foveolate
• Disc annular
• Gynoecium: ovary oblong in outline, with 2, or occasionally 1, ovules in each locule; style terete, included; stigma with a single flattened lobe, longer than broad
• Capsule ovoid, compressed, with beak, estipitate, with inelastic placental bases
• Seeds discoid, with hygroscopic hairs over whole surface

Classification Notes:

• Neuracanthus is currently of doubtful affinity. It is thought to be either a member of Acantheae, Ruellieae or in a tribe of its own.

Nomenclature:

• Neuracanthus Nees
  • Nees von Esenbeck: 76 (1832)
  • Clarke: 137 (1899)
  • Bidgood & Brummitt: 1 (1998)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Species ± 20, Africa, Arabian Peninsula to India
• Southern Africa: Species 1: Neuracanthus africanus S.Moore, Northern Province