Fittonia
| Fittonia | |
|---|---|
| |
| Fittonia albivenis | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Acanthaceae |
| Subfamily: | Acanthoideae |
| Tribe: | Justicieae |
| Genus: | Fittonia Coem.[1] |
| Synonyms | |
|
Adelaster Lindl. ex Veitch | |
Fittonia (nerve plant) is a genus of flowering plants in the acanthus family Acanthaceae, native to tropical rainforest in South America, mainly Peru.[2]
The most commonly grown are F. albivenis and its cultivars. They are spreading evergreen perennials growing 10–15 cm (4–6 in) tall. They bear lush green leaves with accented veins of white to deep pink and have a short fuzz covering their stems. Small buds may appear after a time where the stem splits into leaves. Flowers are small with a white to off-white colour. Plants are best kept in a moist area with mild sunlight and temperatures above 55 °F (13 °C), therefore in temperate areas they must be grown as houseplants. Without water for a few days, this plant is known to "faint" but is easily revived with a quick watering. Its spreading habit makes it ideal as groundcover.
Species
- Fittonia albivenis "Leaves used by the Machiguenga as a hallucinogenic admixture in kamarampi prior to their introduction to Psychotria viridis."[3]
- Fittonia gigantea
References
- ^ "Fittonia information from NPGS/GRIN". www.ars-grin.gov. Archived from the original on 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2008-02-25.
- ^ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964.
- ^ "Erowid Online Books : "Ayahuasca: alkaloids, plants, and analogs" by Keeper of the Trout". www.erowid.org. Retrieved 2008-02-25.