Mackaya

Mackaya is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, disjunctly distributed in South Africa and the eastern Himalayas, Southeast Asia, and China. It is sister to Asystasia.

Species

Currently accepted species include:

Mackaya atroviridis
Mackaya bella Harv.
Mackaya indica Ensermu
Mackaya macrocarpa
Mackaya neesiana Das

Cultivation

Some species are cultivated as ornamental plants. Mackaya bella from South Africa, a small evergreen shrub with purple-veined white flowers, has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. It is only hardy down to, so in temperate zones requires protection during the winter months.