Compilation
Acanthus pubescens

Shrub to 4 m tall; young stems puberulous to tomentellous (rarely glabrous). Leaves with petiole 0.3–2.2(–2.5) cm long; lamina ovate to elliptic in outline, largest 11–35≈6–16 cm, deeply lobed with large triangular spine-tipped lobes, each lobe with 1–2 spines on antrorse side or on both sides, apex acute to acuminate, spine-tipped, base truncate to cordate, beneath sparsely puberulous to tomentellous (rarely glabrous) on midrib and larger veins, glabrous to puberulous on lamina, above sparsely to densely pubescent on midrib and glabrous or with scattered long hairs on lamina (rarely uniformly puberulous); stipule-like interpetiolar leaves present, but often falling quickly, with lamina, up to 1.5 cm long, spiny. Cymes solitary or also 2–4 from upper axils, 4–25(–30) cm long; rachis puberulous to tomentose, with several pairs of sterile bracts at base; bracts pale green to straw-coloured, elliptic to slightly obovate, puberulous to densely pubescent (rarely almost glabrous but for ciliate margin), 1.4–2.8 cm long in middle of cyme, spine-tipped and with (5–)10–25 large and small teeth per side, longest 3–5 mm long, small teeth inserted between large, teeth hairy near base; bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 1–2.5 cm long, toothed in apical part. Calyx green or tinged purplish, glabrous to densely puberulous or pubescent, conspicuously ciliate; dorsal and ventral sepals ovate or broadly so, dorsal 1.4–2.2 cm long, obtuse or with 1–3-toothed tip and without or with 1(–4) weak lateral teeth per side, ventral 1.1–1.8 cm long, obtuse or with spiny tip or with 2 small additional apical teeth or with 2 triangular spine-tipped lobes, lateral ovate, 0.8–1.4 cm long, obtuse or acuminate. Corolla pale pink to pink or rose (more rarely white); tube 3–5 mm long below thickened rim which is 3–5 mm long; limb 5-lobed, 2.5–4≈3–4 cm, below densely puberulous, above puberulous (rarely glabrous); callus with broad central groove and two narrow lateral ridges. Filaments 1.4–2.4 cm long, glabrous or 2 dorsal hairy on inside near base; anthers 3.5–5 mm long, glabrous or with long curly hairs on sides and back. Capsule 1.7–2.4 cm long. Seed ellipsoid to round, 7–9 mm long, glabrous. Fig. 15, p. 91.