''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the

Comoros The Comoros,, ' officially the Union of the Comoros,; ar, الاتحاد القمري ' is an independent country made up of three islands in southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. It ...

, Madagascar, and the

Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate ...

. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of red, white, pink, and purple. ''Pentas'' are attractive to

butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...

and

hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are found in the tropics aro ...

s. Some species are commonly cultivated and can be grown in pots and baskets. Species such as ''

Pentas lanceolata ''Pentas lanceolata'', commonly known as Egyptian starcluster, is a species of flowering plant in the madder family, Rubiaceae that is native to much of Africa as well as Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Repu ...

'' can withstand full sunlight and need little to no care, growing even in locations that are dry and hot.Floridata: ''Pentas lanceolata''.
Floridata.

Species

*''

Pentas angustifolia ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of re ...

'' *''

Pentas arvensis ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i M ...

'' *''

Pentas caffensis ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of re ...

'' *''

Pentas cleistostoma ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of re ...

'' *''

Pentas glabrescens ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of ...

'' *''

Pentas herbacea ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of ...

'' *''

'' - Egyptian starcluster *''

Pentas micrantha ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of ...

'' *''

Pentas nervosa ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of ...

'' *''

Pentas pauciflora ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of ...

'' *''

Pentas pubiflora ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of ...

'' *''

Pentas purpurea ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of ...

'' *''

Pentas purseglovei ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades ...

'' *'' Pentas suswaensis'' *''

Pentas tibestica ''Pentas'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus is found in tropical and southern Africa, the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades ...

'' *'' Pentas zanzibarica''

Image gallery

File:Pentas 'Butterfly-Deep-Rose'.jpg, Pentas lanceolata 'Butterfly-Deep-Rose'

References

Rubiaceae genera {{Rubioideae-stub