Acalypha
Taxonomic Information System

Welcome to ACALYPHA project !

 

Acalypha is one of the Big Plant Genera of flowering plants, with over 500 species. It includes several species of economic importance, and there is also numerous evidence of the potential pharmacological in many species, standing out for their anti-bacterial, antifungal, or anticancer activity, and remedy for insect and reptile bites.

 

We have dedicated the last two decades to the study Acalypha, mainly of the South American species. As a result, various monograph, national floristic treatments, synopsis, and checklists have been published, and up to 40 new species have been discovered. Currently, we are developing an ambitious work-plan to study genus Acalypha around the world whose first step is the in-depth study of African species.

This website aims to provide comprehensive, relevant, updated, and scientifically validated information on the taxonomy, phylogeny, conservation, and biogeography of Acalypha. It includes an online information system from which all available databases can be readily accessed, so that any information on biological diversity could be incorporated to global networks (GBIF, etc.).Now, you can find nomenclatural information on all the published names of Acalypha and related genera (c.1,700 names), c. 40,000 herbarium specimen records, links to c. 20,000 photographs and drawings, and more than 1,500 bibliographic references.

 

We are always looking for new collaborations, and invite the scientific community, as well as any student or graduate who may be interested, to get in touch if you think we may be able to help with any ideas or questions. Help us to increase the knowledge on this large and neglected group of tropical plants, where many species still wait to be discovered.

El género Acalypha L., con unas 500 especies, es el tercer género más diversificado de la familia Euphorbiaceae, después de Euphorbia y Croton. Acalypha incluye hierbas, arbustos y pequeños árboles, distribuidos fundamentalmente en las regiones tropicales y subtropicales del planeta, aunque algunas especies herbáceas alcanzan zonas templadas. Unos dos tercios de las especies son americanas. Ocupan hábitas muy diversos, desde bosques húmedos tropicales hasta ambientes áridos, desde el nivel del mar hasta 4100 m de altitud. Acalypha incluye especies de importancia económica, y hay numerosas evidencias de potenciales usos farmacológicos de muchas especies, destacando por su actividad antibacteriana, antifúngica, anticancerígena, y como remedio para las picaduras de insectos y reptiles.

 

Acalypha es un género que necesita con urgencia un estudio en profundidad. La monografía global más reciente, realizada por Pax & Hofmann en Das Pflanzenreich de Adolf Engler en 1924, está muy desactualizada. Desde entonces se han descrito 160 nuevas especies y subespecies. Hemos dedicado las dos últimas décadas al estudio del género, principalmente en el continente americano, y actualmente también estudiamos las especies africanas y de la región del Océano Índico Occidental. Como resultado, hemos publicado diversas monografías, tratamientos florísticos nacionales, sinopsis y checklists, y hemos descubierto y descrito 40 nuevas especies del género para la ciencia.

El objetivo de esta página Web es ofrecer una completa información, integrada, actualizada y validada científicamente, sobre la taxonomía y biogeografía de Acalypha. Incluye un sistema de información en línea desde el cual se puede acceder fácilmente a las bases de datos disponibles, de modo que cualquier información sobre diversidad biológica pueda además incorporarse a redes globales existentes (GBIF, etc.). Actualmente incluimos información nomenclatural sobre todos los nombres publicados de Acalypha y géneros relacionados (c. 1.700 nombres), más de 35.000 registros de especímenes de herbario, enlaces a cerca de 10.000 fotografías y dibujos, y más de 1.300 referencias bibliográficas.

 

Este sitio web está en continuo progreso. Ahora incluye información más completa sobre las especies sudamericanas que sobre las del resto del mundo, pero estamos trabajando gradualmente para mejorar e incluir información de todos los taxones restantes.

 

Estamos abiertos a nuevas colaboraciones; por ello invitamos a la comunidad científica, así como a estudiantes o graduados que puedan estar interesados, a ponerse en contacto con nosotros si creen que podemos ayudar con alguna idea o responder alguna pregunta. Ayúdanos a aumentar el conocimiento sobre este amplio y olvidado grupo de plantas tropicales, donde muchas especies aún esperan ser descubiertas.

• New specimens from LISC and LISU herbaria (13/06/2024)
  We have added 257 records of Acalypha specimens from LISC and LISU herbaria, most of them are identified. Now specimen’s database contains 39.344 records.

• New specimens from South Africa herbaria (SAMBI) (26/02/2024)
  We have added 2363 records of Acalypha specimens from SAMBI. We have not yet identified these specimens. You can find the last identification (if any) in advanced search. Now specimen’s database contains 39.086 records.

• New specimens from MO herbarium (26/02/2024)
  We have added 1849 records of African Acalypha specimens from MO herbarium, most of them identified.

• Acalypha of the Western Indian Ocean Region (28/11/2023)
  A monograph of Acalypha of the Western Indian Ocean Region, with the description of a new species from Mayotte has been published in Adansonia journal (http://adansonia.com/45/26)

• New species of Acalypha from northern Madagascar (11/10/2023)
  Two species of Acalypha from northern Madagascar are described as new to science: Acalypha bardotiana and and Acalypha inaequibracteata. Plant Ecology and Evolution 156 (3): 365–373, 2023

• Catalogue and Red List of Acalypha from South America (11/08/2023)
  Catalogue and Red List of Acalypha L. (Euphorbiaceae) from South America. Published in European Journal of Taxonomy 887. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2023.886.2201

• Proposal to conserve Acalypha names (11/08/2023)
  Cardiel, J.M., Muñoz-Rodríguez, P. & Montero-Muñoz, I. (2023). (2934) Proposal to conserve the name Acalypha multicaulis against A. pruriens and A. ruderalis (Euphorbiaceae). Taxon 72(1): 210-211.

• World geographical scheme for recording Acalypha species distribution (01/12/2022)
  We have included the world regions of distribution of Acalypha species according to the TDWG standard (Brummit, 2001).

• Acalypha from Malesia and Papuasia (01/12/2022)
  The nomenclatural information of the species from Malesia and Papuasia regions have been updated.

• Updated the "Search names" header. (21/11/2022)
  Now you can search for names by different regions and continents. Synonyms indicate only the origin of the type material

• New Acalypha Phylogeny (30/09/2022)
  New Phylogeny and classification of Acalypha has been published. https://doi.org/10.1600/036364422X16512572275034

• Synopsis of Acalypha from Brazil (31/05/2022)
  Cardiel, J.M., Cordeiro de Sousa, A.A., Cordeiro, I., Rossi Caruzo, M.B., Marques da Silva, O.L., Muñoz-Rodríguez , López, A. & Montero-Muñoz, I. (2022). Updated synopsis of Acalypha L. (Euphorbiaceae, Acalyphoideae) from Brazil. Plant Systematic and Evolution in press.

• Acalypha in DRYAD (31/05/2022)
  Phylogeny, classification, and character evolution of Acalypha (Euphorbiaceae Acalyphoideae) https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.fj6q573w7

• Home page updated (12/05/2022)
  The information on the home page has been updated

• New species of Acalypha from Mexico (23/03/2022)
  A new species of Acalypha (Euphorbiaceae) from Guerrero, Mexico is described: A. amithii

• New species from Madagascar 2021 (15/12/2021)
  Four new species of Acalypha from Madagascar have been published in South African journal of Botany 146 (a. ankaranensis, A. cardielii, A. levinii, and A. magistri)

• Epidermal crystals in Acalypha (14/10/2020)
  New Original Article: Epidermal crystals in Acalypha (Euphorbiaceae, Acalyphoideae) as a new taxonomic trait of the genus. Plant Systematics and Evolution volume 306,

• New species from the West Indian Ocean Region (27/02/2020)
  Four new species of Acalypha from the West Indian Ocean Region have been included: Acalypha gillespieae, A. leandri, A. mayottensis, and A. nusbaumeri. (PhytoKeys 140: 57-73)

• Three new species from Madagascar (24/09/2019)
  Three new species of Acalypha from Madagascar (in press) have been included (Acalypha isaloensis, A. rabesahalana and A. tremula)

• New specimens from BR herbarium (22/11/2018)
  We have added c. 3300 new records of Acalypha specimens from BR herbarium, including links to the images.

• New specimens from MEXU herbarium (07/11/2018)
  We have added 4000 records of Acalypha specimens from MEXU herbarium, including links to the images. We have not yet identified these specimens. You can find the last identification (if any) in the advanced search. Specimen’s database contains now c. 33000 records

• New species from Madagascar (01/11/2018)
  A new species of Acalypha subgen. Linostachys from Madagascar has been published in the South African Journal of Botany. This subgenus has not been reported before from Madagascar or from the West Indian Ocean Region

• Acalypha of Western Indian Ocean Region (12/09/2018)
  A nomenclatural review of Acalypha of the Western Indian Ocean Region (Madagascar, the Comoros Archipelago, the Mascarene Islands and the Seychelles Archipelago) has been published in PhytoKeys 108.

• New species of Acalypha (18/06/2018)
  Three new species of Acalypha from Argentina, Bolivia Brazil and Paraguay have been published in Phytotaxa (Cardiel et. al. 2018)

• Acalypha of Madagascar (05/10/2017)
  The species of Madagascar and surrounding islands are under revision. The identifications provided are provisional

• Acalypha of São Paulo, Brazil (03/10/2017)
  A synopsis of Acalypha in the State of São Paulo, Brazil has been published in Hoechnea 44 (3). 2017.

• Acalypha of West Tropical Africa (03/10/2017)
  A synopsis of Acalypha of West Tropical Africa has been published in Plants Systematic and Evolution 303 (2017)

• New records and images from P herbarium (11/05/2017)
  We have added 5765 records of Acalypha from Paris herbarium, including links to the images. Specimens database contains now 28.000 records

• Proposal to conserve A. communis & A, brasiliensis (04/05/2016)
  Proposals to conserve the names Acalypha communis against A. hirsuta and A. brasiliensis against A. subsana (Euphorbiaceae). Taxon 65(2): 391. 2016

• Acalypha of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay (05/01/2016)
  A synopsis of the Argentinian, Paraguayan and Uruguayan species of Acalypha is published in Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 101(2). 2015

• New specimens from G herbarium (05/03/2015)
  After visiting the herbarium of Geneva (G and G-DC) we added 871 new Acalypha collections. All Acalypha specimen of De Candolle herbarium (G-DC) have been included.

• New specimens increase from NHN herbaria (05/03/2015)
  We added c. 5000 new records of Acalypha specimens from National Herbarium Netherland. The specimens database now contains 21312 records (11/2914)

• New specimens increase from MA herbarium (18/11/2014)
  We added 631 new Acalypha collections from MA herbarium. The specimens database now contains 16.312 records

• Acalypha of Peru and Bolivia (24/06/2014)
  A review of the Peruvian and Bolivia species of Acalypha is published in"Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid" 70(2)

• New specimens increase from P herbarium (14/05/2014)
  We have included c. 2,000 specimens from Paris herbarium, but the information is not yet complete. The specimens database contains 15.117 records

• Acalypha from Brazil (28/04/2014)
  Many specimens of Acalypha from Brazil are included, but updated identifications are not yet available.

• New specimens increase (28/04/2014)
  The specimens database contains 13.067 records corresponding to about 30.000 herbarium sheets

• Acalypha subgen. Liniostachys. New revision (25/04/2014)
  Acalypha subgenus Linostachys (Euphorbiaceae, Acalyphoideae): a global review. Phytotaxa 166(3): 199-221

• Acalypha sect. Communis (27/12/2013)
  Revised taxonomy and nomenclature of Acalypha sect. Communes (Euphorbiaceae) has been published inTaxon 62(6).

• New Google Maps (10/12/2013)
  The new version of google maps now available

• Acalypha carrascoana Cardiel (20/11/2013)
  Acalypha carrascoana Cardiel, only known from Colombia and Venezuela, is reported in Mexico. Botanica Complutensis 37: 53-56

• Specimens increase (08/10/2013)
  The specimens database contains 8617 records corresponding to about 25.000 herbarium sheets

• New species of Acalypha from Bolivia (26/12/2012)
  Two new species of Acalypha have been published in the last issue of Brittonia (Cardiel & Muñoz 2012)

• Acalypha communis Müll. Arg. (16/10/2012)
  The specimens identified as Acalypha communis are under review. Some infraspecific names are not yet published.

• Acalypha of Continental Ecuador (11/09/2012)
  A critical review of the Ecuadorean species of Acalypha has been puplished in PhytoKeys 17: 1-17

• Search names (22/03/2012)
  We have added a new search field: "Infra-genus"

• Specimens: Advanced search (22/03/2012)
  We have added new search fields: “1st herb number”, “Type of” and “ID”.

• New Links (22/03/2012)
  Many new links have been added and rearranged

• New species (06/03/2012)
  We added Two new species of Acalypha from Bolivia: A. neeana and A. machiensis

• Specimens from Argentina Uruguay an Paraguay (05/08/2011)
  The collections from Argentina Paraguay and Uruguay are currently under review, therefore the identification availables are provisional

• Specimens (30/03/2011)
  The specimens database contains 8296 records

• Acalypha from Africa (30/03/2011)
  We include some collections of Acalypha from African countries

• Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay (30/03/2011)
  Many of specimens of Acalypha from Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay are already identified

• Images under synonyms (18/06/2010)
  Now you can easily find easily all the images associated with a accepted name, including type images of synonyms.

• Acalypha from Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay (18/06/2010)
  Specimens of Acalypha from Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay are included (c.600 collections), but identifications are not yet available. We will provide this information as soon as possible