n.
Any of various plants of the genus Acalypha, especially A. wilkesiana, an ornamental shrub of the Pacific Islands widely grown for its decorative, colorful, variously patterned leaves.
copperleaf
| Dictionary: cop·per·leaf |
(kŏp'ər-lēf')
n.
Any of various plants of the genus Acalypha, especially A. wilkesiana, an ornamental shrub of the Pacific Islands widely grown for its decorative, colorful, variously patterned leaves.
n.
Any of various plants of the genus Acalypha, especially A. wilkesiana, an ornamental shrub of the Pacific Islands widely grown for its decorative, colorful, variously patterned leaves.
| 5min Related Video: copperleaf |
| Annuals Dictionary: Alternanthera |
Amaranth family
Amaranthaceae
Al-ter-nan'ther-ra. A genus of some 20 low-growing foliage plants, often sold under the name Telanthera or Achyranthas . They are perennial plants, mostly Brazilian, not well understood botanically.
Description
They have opposite, narrow, small leaves, often colored, and minute flowers in dense clusters in the leaf axils. The flowers, however, are rarely produced because foliage is usually cut low and used as ground cover.
How to Grow
They need a warm, sunny place and not too rich a soil. Must be propagated by cuttings or by division in the fall, and carried through the winter in the greenhouse. Plant outdoors 4-5 in. (10.0-12.5 cm) apart. Keep 4-6 in. (10-15 cm) high by shearing whenever necessary. Prefers warm weather.
Alternanthera ficoidea
Joseph's-Coat
;
Copperleaf
. To 20 in. (50 cm) high, but generally shorter in cultivated varieties. Leaves elliptic, egg-shaped or inverted egg-shaped, with a short apical spine, ⅓-2 in. (1-6 cm) long, green, or variously variegated with yellow, pink, orange, purple, or red. Flowerheads inconspicuous, whitish or yellowish, in leaf axils. Mexico to Argentina. Tender perennial grown as a tender annual.
| WordNet: Alternanthera |
Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.
The noun has one meaning:
Meaning #1:
genus of low herbs of tropical America and Australia; includes genus Telanthera
Synonym: genus Alternanthera
| Wikipedia: Alternanthera |
| Alternanthera | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Alternanthera pungens, known as khakiweed | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Amaranthaceae |
| Subfamily: | Gomphrenoideae |
| Genus: | Alternanthera Forssk. |
Alternanthera is a genus of approximately 80 herbaceous plant species in Amaranthaceae, the amaranth family. It is a widespread genus with a cosmopolitan distribution.
Several species are aquatic plant in habit, but most are spreading stoloniferous plants, sometimes used as ground cover. The leaves are simple and verticillate. The small white or yellow flowers are arranged in chafflike bracts, growing in the leaf buds.
Alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides), a native of South America, forms dense, sprawling mats, reaching 15 m across. It is considered a noxious weed, choking ponds, lakes, streams, canals, and irrigation ditches. It is being suppressed through biological control with the alligator weed flea beetle (Agasicles hygrophila), the alligator weed thrips (Amynothrips andersoni), and the alligator weed stem borer (Vogtia malloi). Mechanical and chemical controls fail.
There are only a few aquatic plants in the genus Alternanthera suitable for aquarium use. They are considered difficult to grow and maintain, because they are sensitive to certain parameters of light, water, and fertilizers. The species often found in aquarium settings include A. bettzichiana, A. reineckii, A. reineckii var. lilacina, A. reineckii var. roseafolia, A. reineckii var. rubra, and A. sessilis, which is semi-aquatic.
Contents |
See also
List of freshwater aquarium plant species
Selected species
- Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze
- Alternanthera caracasana Kunth
- Alternanthera crucis Bold.
- Alternanthera dentata R.E.Fr.
- Alternanthera echinocephala (Hook.f.) Christoph.
- Alternanthera flavescens Kunth
- Alternanthera flavogrisea Urb.
- Alternanthera hassleriana Chodat
- Alternanthera helleri (B.L. Rob.) J.T. Howell
- Alternanthera littoralis P.Beauv.
- Alternanthera maritima (Mart.) A.St.-Hil.
- Alternanthera nodiflora R.Br.
- Alternanthera paronichyoides A.St.-Hil.
- Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb.
- Alternanthera pungens Kunth
- Alternanthera reineckii Briq.
- Alternanthera sessilis (L.) DC.
- Alternanthera sissoo
- Alternanthera tenella Colla
- Alternanthera versicolor R.Br.
Gallery
 Matt Chaff Flower (Alternanthera caracasana) |
 Alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) |
 Alternanthera ficoidea in Hyderabad, India. |
 Alternanthera ficoidea in Hyderabad, India. |
 Alternanthera ficoidea in Hyderabad, India. |
_on_Alternanthera_tenella_in_Hyderabad,_AP_W_IMG_0410.jpg) Indian Skipper Spialia galba on Alternanthera ficoidea in Hyderabad, India. |
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
| Best of the Web: copperleaf |
Some good "copperleaf" pages on the web:
 Gardening hcs.osu.edu |
Learn More
 | Acalypha |
| Acalypha californica |
| Alternanthera sessilis |
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Copyrights:
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Annuals Dictionary. Taylor's Guide for Annuals, by Norman Taylor, revised and edited by Gordon P. DeWolf, Jr. Copyright © 1986 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Alternanthera". Read more |
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