Acianthera is a genus of orchids native to the tropical parts of the Western Hemisphere,Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families especially Brazil.de Melo, M. C., Borba, E. L., & Paiva, E. A. S. (2010). Morphological and histological characterization of the osmophores and nectaries of four species of Acianthera (Orchidaceae: Pleurothallidinae). Plant Systematics and Evolution 286(3-4), 141-51. It was first described in 1842Scheidweiler, Michael Joseph François. 1842. Allgemeine Gartenzeitung 10(37): 292 but was not widely recognized until recently. Most of the species were formerly placed under Pleurothallis subgenus Acianthera. This splitting is a result of recent DNA sequencing.
Species As of May 2025, Plants of the World Online accepts 302 species within Acianthera:
Acianthera aberrans (Luer) Pupulin & Bogarín Acianthera aculeata (Luer & Hirtz) Luer Acianthera acuminatipetala (A.Samp.) Luer Acianthera adamantinensis (Brade) F.Barros Acianthera adeodata P.Ortiz, O.Pérez & E.Parra Acianthera adirii (Brade) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera aechme (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera agathophylla (Rchb.f.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera alainii (Dod) A.Doucette Acianthera albiflora (Barb.Rodr.) Karremans Acianthera albopurpurea (Kraenzl.) Chiron & Van den Berg Acianthera alpestris (Sw.) A.Doucette Acianthera amandae Campacci & C.R.M.Silva Acianthera amaralii (Pabst) F.Barros & L.R.S.Guim. Acianthera amsleri Rykacz., Driessen & Kolan. Acianthera angustifolia (Lindl.) Luer Acianthera angustisepala (Ames & Correll) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera antennata (Garay) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera aphthosa (Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera appendiculata (Cogn.) A.Doucette Acianthera asaroides (Kraenzl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera atroglossa (Loefgr.) F.Barros & L.R.S.Guim. Acianthera atropurpurea (Barb.Rodr.) Chiron & Van den Berg Acianthera auriculata (Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera bahorucensis (Luer) A.Doucette Acianthera barthelemyi (Luer) Karremans Acianthera berlinensis Damian, Chiron, Mitidieri & Rimarachin Acianthera beyrodtiana (Kraenzl.) Karremans Acianthera bibarbellata (Kraenzl.) F.Barros & L.R.S.Guim. Acianthera bicarinata (Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera biceps (Luer & Hirtz) Luer Acianthera bicornuta (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera bidentata (Lindl.) F.Barros & V.T.Rodrigues Acianthera bidentula (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera bilobulata Zambrano & Solano Acianthera binotii (Regel) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera bissei (Luer) Luer Acianthera boliviana (Rchb.f.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera brachiloba (Hoehne) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera bragae (Ruschi) F.Barros Acianthera breedlovei Soto Arenas, Solano & Salazar Acianthera breviflora (Lindl.) Luer Acianthera brunnescens (Schltr.) Karremans Acianthera bryonii Luer Acianthera butcheri (L.O.Williams) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera cabiriae Pupulin, G.A.Rojas & J.D.Zuñiga Acianthera cachensis (Ames) Karremans Acianthera caldensis (Hoehne & Schltr.) F.Barros Acianthera calopedilon Toscano & Luer Acianthera calypso (Luer) Karremans & Rinc.-González Acianthera capanemae (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera caparaoensis (Brade) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera capillaris (Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera carcinopsis Luer & Sijm Acianthera carinata (C.Schweinf.) Luer Acianthera catujiensis Campacci & C.R.M.Silva Acianthera caymanensis (C.D.Adams) Karremans Acianthera cephalopodiglossa Toscano & Luer Acianthera cerberus (Luer & R.Vásquez) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera chamelopoda (Luer) Luer Acianthera chionopa (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera chrysantha (Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera ciliata (Knowles & Westc.) F.Barros & L.R.S.Guim. Acianthera circumplexa (Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera cogniauxiana (Schltr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera compressicaulis (Dod) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera consatae (Luer & R.Vásquez) Luer Acianthera cordatifolia (Dod) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera cornejoi Luer Acianthera costabilis (Luer & R.Vásquez) Luer Acianthera costaricensis (Schltr.) Pupulin & Karremans Acianthera crassilabia (Ames & C.Schweinf.) Luer Acianthera cremasta (Luer & J.Portilla) Luer Acianthera crepiniana (Cogn.) Chiron & Van den Berg Acianthera crinita (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera cryptantha (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera cryptophoranthoides (Loefgr.) F.Barros Acianthera decipiens (Ames & C.Schweinf.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera decurrens (Poepp. & Endl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera denticulata (Cogn.) Karremans Acianthera deserta (Luer & R.Vásquez) Luer Acianthera dichroa (Rchb.f.) F.Barros & L.R.S.Guim. Acianthera discophylla (Luer & Carnevali) Luer Acianthera dodsonii (Luer) Karremans & Rinc.-González Acianthera duartei (Hoehne) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera dubbeldamii Luer & Sijm Acianthera dutrae (Pabst) C.N.Gonç. & Waechter Acianthera echinocarpa (C.Schweinf.) A.Doucette Acianthera echinosa Luer & Toscano Acianthera ellipsophylla (L.O.Williams) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera erebatensis (Carnevali & G.A.Romero) Luer Acianthera ericae Luer Acianthera erinacea (Rchb.f.) A.Doucette Acianthera erosa (Urb.) A.Doucette Acianthera erythrogramma (Luer & Carnevali) Luer Acianthera esmeraldae (Luer & Hirtz) Luer Acianthera exarticulata (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera exdrasii (Luer & Toscano) Luer Acianthera eximia (L.O.Williams) Solano Acianthera fabiobarrosii (Borba & Semir) F.Barros & F.Pinheiro Acianthera fecunda Pupulin, G.A.Rojas & J.D.Zuñiga Acianthera fenestrata (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera fernandezii Luer Acianthera fockei (Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera foetens (Lindl.) Chiron & Van den Berg Acianthera fornograndensis L.Kollmann & A.P.Fontana Acianthera freyi (Luer) F.Barros & V.T.Rodrigues Acianthera fumioi (T.Hashim.) Luer Acianthera garciae (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera geminicaulina (Ames) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera gigantea (Lindl.) A.Doucette Acianthera glanduligera (Lindl.) Luer Acianthera glumacea (Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera gouveiae (A.Samp.) F.Barros & L.R.S.Guim. Acianthera gracilis (Barb.Rodr.) F.Barros & L.R.S.Guim. Acianthera gracilisepala (Brade) Luer Acianthera gradeae Chiron & Benelli Acianthera granitica (Luer & G.A.Romero) Luer Acianthera greenwoodii Soto Arenas Acianthera hamata Pupulin & G.A.Rojas Acianthera hartwegiifolia (H.Wendl. & Kraenzl.) Solano & Soto Arenas Acianthera hastulata (Rchb.f. & Warm.) Karremans Acianthera hatschbachii (Schltr.) Chiron & Van den Berg Acianthera heliconioides (Luer & R.Vásquez) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera heliconiscapa (Hoehne) F.Barros Acianthera henrici (Schltr.) Luer Acianthera heringeri (Hoehne) F.Barros Acianthera herrerae (Luer) Solano & Soto Arenas Acianthera herzogii (Schltr.) Baumbach Acianthera heteropetala (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera hintonii (L.O.Williams) A.Doucette Acianthera hirsutula (Fawc. & Rendle) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera hirtipes (Schltr.) Rojas-Alv. & Karremans Acianthera hirtzii (Luer) Karremans & Rinc.-González Acianthera hoffmannseggiana (Rchb.f.) F.Barros Acianthera hondurensis (Ames) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera hygrophila (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera hystrix (Kraenzl.) F.Barros Acianthera imitator Toscano, Luer & L.Kollmann Acianthera inaequalis (Lindl.) F.Barros & L.R.S.Guim. Acianthera johannensis (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera johnsonii (Ames) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera jordanensis (Brade) F.Barros Acianthera juxtaposita (Luer) Luer Acianthera kateora (Garay) Karremans & Rinc.-González Acianthera kegelii (Rchb.f.) Luer Acianthera klingelfusii Luer, Toscano & Baptista Acianthera klotzschiana (Rchb.f.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera krahnii Luer & Vásquez Acianthera lamia (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera langeana (Kraenzl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera lappago (Luer) A.Doucette Acianthera laxa (Sw.) A.Doucette Acianthera lepidota (L.O.Williams) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera leptotifolia (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera limae (Porto & Brade) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera litensis (Luer & Hirtz) Luer Acianthera lojae (Schltr.) Luer Acianthera lueri Kolan. & Szlach. Acianthera luteola (Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera macilenta Luer & Hirtz Acianthera macropoda (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera macuconensis (Barb.Rodr.) F.Barros Acianthera maculiglossa Chiron & N.Sanson Acianthera madisonii (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera magalhanesii (Pabst) F.Barros Acianthera majakoluckae Soto Arenas & Solano Acianthera malachantha (Rchb.f.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera marleniae Damian, Chiron & Mitidieri Acianthera marquesii Luer & Toscano Acianthera marumbyana (Garay) Luer Acianthera melachila (Barb.Rodr.) Luer Acianthera melanochthoda (Luer & Hirtz) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera melanoglossa (Luer & R.Escobar) Luer Acianthera mendozae Luer Acianthera mexiae (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera micrantha (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera minima (Cogn.) F.Barros Acianthera minuta (Rolfe) Karremans Acianthera miqueliana (H.Focke) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera modestissima (Rchb.f. & Warm.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera monophylla (Hook.) Karremans Acianthera montana (Barb.Rodr.) F.Barros & L.R.S.Guim. Acianthera morenoi (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera morilloi (Carnevali & I.Ramírez) Luer Acianthera moronae (Luer & Hirtz) Luer Acianthera murex (Rchb.f.) Luer Acianthera murexoidea (Pabst) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera muscicola (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera muscosa (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera myrticola (Barb.Rodr.) F.Barros & L.R.S.Guim. Acianthera nellyae (P.Ortiz) Karremans Acianthera nemorosa (Barb.Rodr.) F.Barros Acianthera nikoleae A.Doucette & J.Portilla Acianthera obscura (A.Rich. & Galeotti) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera ochreata (Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera octophrys (Rchb.f.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera odontotepala (Rchb.f.) Luer Acianthera ofella (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera oligantha (Barb.Rodr.) F.Barros Acianthera omissa (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera oricola (H.Stenzel) Karremans, Chiron & Van den Berg Acianthera oscitans (Ames) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera pacayana (Schltr.) Solano & Soto Arenas Acianthera panduripetala (Barb.Rodr.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera pantasmi (Rchb.f.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera pantasmoides (C.Schweinf.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera papillosa (Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera paradoxa (Luer & Dalström) Karremans Acianthera pardipes (Rchb.f.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera pariaensis (Carnevali & G.A.Romero) Carnevali & G.A.Romero Acianthera parva (Rolfe) F.Barros & L.R.S.Guim. Acianthera pavimentata (Rchb.f.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera pazii Luer Acianthera pectinata (Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera pendens (Dod) A.Doucette Acianthera per-dusenii (Hoehne) F.Barros & L.R.S.Guim. Acianthera pernambucensis (Rolfe) F.Barros Acianthera phoenicoptera (Carnevali & G.A.Romero) Luer Acianthera phrynoglossa (Luer & Hirtz) A.Doucette Acianthera platystachys (Regel) Chiron & Van den Berg Acianthera pollardiana Solano Acianthera polystachya (Ruiz & Pav.) Pupulin Acianthera portilloi (Luer & R.Escobar) Karremans & Rinc.-González Acianthera privigna (Luer) A.Doucette Acianthera prognatha (Luer & R.Escobar) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera prolifera (Herb. ex Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera prostrata (Lindl.) A.Doucette Acianthera pubescens (Lindl.) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera punctatiflora (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera punicea (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera purpurascens (Luer & Hirtz) Karremans Acianthera purpureoviolacea (Cogn.) F.Barros Acianthera pustulata Zambrano & Solano Acianthera quadricristata (Luer & Hirtz) Luer Acianthera quadriserrata (Luer) Pridgeon & M.W.Chase Acianthera quisqueyana (Dod) A.Doucette