Hemigraphis

Scientific name

Hemigraphis Nees

Common names

waffle plant, Java ivy, red flame ivy, red ivy, metal leaf dragon’s breath, dragon's tongue, metallic plant, aluminium plant, cemetary plant

Family

Acanthaceae

Similar genera

Aciotis, Acmella, Alternanthera, Gymnocoronis, Hygrophila, Pilea, Ruellia

Native distribution

southern China, India, eastwards to Malayasia

Species cultivated

(three species plus numerous cultivated varieties and hybrids)

Hemigraphis alternata (Burm.f.) T.Anderson

H. colorata W.Bull

H. repanda (L.) Hallier f.

Adventive distribution

Hemigraphis alternata is introduced into many Pacific Islands, the United States, and Australia.

H. reptans (G.Forst.) T. Anderson ex Hemsl. is introduced into the United States and Australia.

Weed status

not weedy

Habit

terrestrialterrestrial:
(adj) growing on land as opposed to living in water
to amphibiousamphibious:
(adj) of a plant able to live on land or in water
; tolerates submersion for short periods of time

Brief description

Small stem plantstem plant:
(n) (a term used in the aquarium and pond plant trade) having an elongate stem (as opposed to a compact stem)
, creeping to erect. Stems ± square, deep purple, frequently rooting at nodes. Leaves oppositeopposite:
(adj) (of leaves) two leaves per node; in pairs on opposite sides of an axis
, decussatedecussate:
(adj) arranged along stem in pairs, with each pair at right angles to the pairs above and below
; petiolatepetiolate:
(adj) relating to or in the form of a petiole; bearing petioles
; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
typically ovateovate:
(adj) egg-shaped in outline; generally with the broad end at or near the base
to cordatecordate:
(adj) heart-shaped; in the form of two rounded lobes
; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entire, serrateserrate:
(adj) (of a leaf margin) bearing sharp teeth pointing forward or to the apex
- crenatecrenate:
(adj) (of a margin) with shallow, rounded teeth
; venationvenation:
(n) the arrangement of veins in a leaf
pinnatepinnate:
(adj) in the form of a feather; of, e.g., leaflets, lobes, or veins: arranged in two rows along an axis
; leaf surface often bullatebullate:
(adj) having a pimpled or blistered surface
, glabrousglabrous:
(adj) without hairs or scales
or sparsely covered with non-glandular hairs; top with a metallic sheen, bottom deep purple. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a terminalterminal:
(adj) at the apex
or axillaryaxillary:
(adj) in, of, or produced from an axil
spikespike:
(n) an indeterminate, unbranching inflorescence of sessile flowers or flower clusters on a usually elongated axis
or contracted paniclepanicle:
(n) an indeterminate, branched (often much-branched) inflorescence; the ultimate units may be of a different inflorescence type
; axisaxis:
(n) the main stem; the central column of an inflorescence or other structure
glabrousglabrous:
(adj) without hairs or scales
or pubescentpubescent:
(adj) (1) covered with short, soft hairs; (2) bearing hairs
; bracteatebracteate:
(adj) possessing or bearing bracts
; bracteoles present or absent. Flowers small, typically white or pale violet or pale yellow with deep-violet veins; calyxcalyx:
(n) the outer whorl of the perianth; all the sepals of a flower
5-lobed, lobes subequal, corollacorolla:
(n) the inner whorl(s) of the perianth; all the petals of a flower
tube 5-lobed, 2 posterior and 3 anterior, subequal; stamens 4 (or rarely 5 in cultivated H. alternata), united into filamentfilament:
(n) the stalk of the stamen, which supports the anther
curtain.

Natural habitat

clay loam or rocks along streams and paths in secondary forest with open canopy and partial shade; also occurring along roadsides or in ditches

Additional comments

Most species in the genus are found along streams and tolerate submergedsubmerged:
(adj) (syn. submersed) under water; submerged below the water surface
roots, but none are true aquatics; some are sold as aquarium plants, and will survive short periods submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
. Hemigraphis alternata and H. colorata (Blume) H.G. Hallier are each accepted species, but are often referred to as synonyms in the literature. H. alternata is thought to be sterilesterile:
(adj) lacking male and/or female reproductive parts; not producing fruit, seed, pollen, spores, etc.
, only reproducing vegetatively.