Dicliptera maclearii

Dicliptera maclearii is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae which is endemic to Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the north-eastern Indian Ocean. Its specific epithet honours John Maclear, captain of the survey vessel HMS Flying Fish, which visited Christmas Island in 1886.^[2]

Dicliptera maclearii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Acanthaceae
Genus:	Dicliptera
Species:	D. maclearii
Binomial name
Dicliptera maclearii Hemsl.[1]

Description

Dicliptera maclearii is an erect herb with small pink flowers growing to 1 m in height. Its leaves are lanceolate to ovate, acuminate or spine-tipped, 20–70 mm long and 5–30 mm wide. It closest relative is D. ciliata.^[2]

Distribution and habitat

Found only on Christmas Island, it is common in places on the lower terraces of the island, including at Flying Fish Cove and North West Point.^[2]