Acanthus is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to tropical and warm temperate regions, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean Basin and Asia. This flowering plant is nectar-producing and depends on butterflies, such as Anartia fatima, and other nectar-feeding organisms to distribute its pollen. Common names include acanthus and bear's breeches. The genus name derives from Ancient Greek ἄκανθος for Acanthus mollis, a plant that was commonly imitated in Corinthian capitals.
Introducing the fast-growing mangrove tree Sonneratia caseolaris to degraded coastal wetlands significantly boosts soil carbon storage and enriches the communities of bacteria that fix carbon, including bacteria that also link carbon and sulfur cycles in ways that could amplify long-term carbon sequestration.
