Ecbolium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, placed in the order Lamiales. The genus comprises 26 accepted species of shrubs and subshrubs, distributed across a broad arc from sub-Saharan Africa through the Arabian Peninsula to the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar. Its centre of diversity lies in southern and eastern Africa, with additional species reaching into the drier zones of the Horn of Africa and across the Indian Ocean to South Asia.
Members of Ecbolium are characterised by the tubular, often bilabiate flowers typical of the wider Acanthaceae family, with blooms commonly appearing in shades of green, white, or pale yellow. The genus name is derived from Greek. Species such as Ecbolium ligustrinum, known as Green Ice Crossandra, are cultivated as ornamentals in tropical and subtropical gardens for their attractive flower spikes.
Distribution
Ecbolium is native to southern and eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian subcontinent, and Myanmar. Its range spans arid to seasonally dry tropical habitats across this broad Indo-African region.
Taxonomy Notes
Ecbolium belongs to the family Acanthaceae within the order Lamiales. GBIF recognises it as an accepted genus with 26 species.
