Aphelandra R.Br. in Prodr.: 475. 1810

– Type: Aphelandra cristata (Jacq.) R.Br. ex W.T.Aiton (= A. pulcherrima (Jacq.) Kunth).

= Orophochilus Lindau in Bull. Herb. Boissier 5: 657. 1897, syn. nov.

– Type: Orophochilus stipulaceus Lindau.

= Rhombochlamys Lindau in Bull. Herb. Boissier 5: 659. 1897, syn. nov. – Type: Rhombochlamys rosulata Lindau (≡ Aphelandra rosulata (Lindau) Wassh.).

= Encephalosphaera Lindau in Bull. Herb. Boissier, ser. 2, 4: 322. 1904, syn. nov. – Type: Encephalosphaera vitellina Lindau.

Although not sampled phylogenetically in McDade & al. (2005), the monospecific genus Orophochilus is allied to spiny members of Aphelandra . As such, we provide the necessary combination below.

The genus Rhombochlamys was shown by McDade & al. (2005) to be nested within Aphelandra with strong bootstrap support, even though placed phylogenetically by only a single locus. Nonetheless, those data in combination with morphological attributes discussed in McDade & al. (2005) suggest that Rhombochlamys belongs within Aphelandra, and we provide the necessary combination below. Note that R. rosulata Lindau was previously transferred into Aphelandra by D. Wasshausen in 1996.

The genus Encephalosphaera was shown by McDade & al. (2005) to be nested within Aphelandra with strong bootstrap support. As such, we provide the necessary combinations for all species here. Note that no new combination is needed for Encephalosphaera puberula (Leonard) Wassh., as this was first published under Aphelandra puberula Leonard.

The genus Xantheranthemum was previously included within Aphelandra (Wasshausen, 1996), which we follow here.