M. Thulin (2005) Neuracanthus Flora of Somalia 3: 447-454
Plants perennial herbs, subshrubs, or dwarf shrubs. Leaves simple, entire. Inflorescences axillary or terminal spicate to globose panicles; bracts in 2-4 rows, overlapping, acuminate to spinescent, each supporting a single sessile or subsessile flower; branched spines representing sterile inflorescences sometimes present at base or surrounding the fertile inflorescences . Calyces deeply divided into 2 parts, the lower 2-veined, each vein ending or a tooth or the teeth fused, forming a single acute tip, the upper part 3-veined; corollas white to pink, purple, or blue, tubes short, cylindrical; limbs funnel-shaped with 3-lobed lower lipes and shallowly 2-lobed upper lips; stamens 4, lower pair 1-celled, upper pair 2-celled; styles simple, filiform; stigmas with a single flattened lobe. Capsules oblong to triangular ovate; seeds 2-4, flattened, with hygroscopic hairs.
Neuracanthus includes about 30 species. They are native in tropical Africa, Mdagascar, the Arabian Peninsula, and tropical Asia. There are 11 species in Somalia but none in Somaliland.
Note: GBIF records include introduced and cultivated plants. Consequently, the distribution shown often differs from statements about a taxon's native distribution.