Fittonia

Scientific name

Fittonia Coem.

Common names

mosaic plant, nervenerve:
(n) a vein, line, or rib, usually indicating a strand of vascular tissue
plant

Family

Acanthaceae

Similar genera

Acmella, Aciotis, Hemigraphis, Hyptis, Pilea

Native distribution

South America; mainly Peru

Species cultivated

(one species plus cultivated varieties and hybrids)

Fittonia albivenis (Lindl. ex Veitch) Brummitt

Adventive distribution

none

Weed status

information not available

Habit

low or creeping, small to medium herb

Brief description

Evergreen perennialperennial:
(adj) (of a plant) having a life cycle of more than two years
. Stems erect to ascending, fleshy, hairy. 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
; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
elliptic to ovateovate:
(adj) egg-shaped in outline; generally with the broad end at or near the base
; apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
round to acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
; base round to attenuateattenuate:
(adj) narrowing gradually to a point
; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
to slightly 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
, typically white or red. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a slender, bracteolatebracteolate:
(adj) possessing small bracts
spike with small, 2-lipped flowers, white to off-white.

Natural habitat

tropical rainforests

Additional comments

Fittonia albivenis is often sold under the synonyms F. argyroneura Coem. and F. verschaffeltii (Lem.) Van Houtte. It is not a true aquatic but does tolerate temporary flooding; it is often used in terraria and along water courses, where it will grow in wet soil. There are two species in this genus.