244 Species in Genus Goeppertia

Goeppertia: A Love Affair with Prayer Plants

I’ve always been drawn to the captivating beauty of foliage. The way a single leaf can unfurl with intricate patterns and vibrant colors never ceases to amaze me. But among the vast world of leafy wonders, there’s one genus that holds a special place in my heart: Goeppertia from the Marantaceae family.

You might know them better by their old name, Calathea. These stunning plants, native to the tropical Americas, are famed for their striking foliage and their unique “prayer-like” movements. In fact, they’re often called “prayer plants” because their leaves fold upwards at night, resembling hands raised in prayer. Come morning, they gracefully lower their leaves, ready to soak up the sun’s rays. This mesmerizing daily ritual is just one of the many reasons I find Goeppertia so enchanting.

A Diverse Genus with Something for Everyone

What truly captivates me about Goeppertia is the sheer diversity within the genus. With over 240 recognized species, there’s a Goeppertia to suit every taste and aesthetic. Some boast bold stripes and contrasting hues, while others feature intricate patterns reminiscent of peacock feathers or stained glass windows.

Here are species:

1. Goeppertia ackermannii (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
2. Goeppertia acuminata (Steyerm.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
3. Goeppertia aemula (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
4. Goeppertia affinis (Fenzl ex Regel) Borchs. & S.Suárez
5. Goeppertia albertii (L.H.Bailey & Raffill) Borchs. & S.Suárez
6. Goeppertia albovaginata (K.Koch & Linden) Borchs. & S.Suárez
7. Goeppertia allenii (Woodson) Borchs. & S.Suárez
8. Goeppertia allouia (Aubl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
9. Goeppertia altissima (Poepp. & Endl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
10. Goeppertia amazonica (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
11. Goeppertia angustifolia (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
12. Goeppertia annae (H.Kenn. & J.M.A.Braga) Borchs. & S.Suárez
13. Goeppertia applicata (Jacob-Makoy ex É.Morren) Borchs. & S.Suárez
14. Goeppertia argyraea (Linden ex Larché) Borchs. & S.Suárez
15. Goeppertia argyrophylla (Linden ex K.Koch) Borchs. & S.Suárez
16. Goeppertia arrabidae (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
17. Goeppertia atropurpurea (Matuda) Borchs. & S.Suárez
18. Goeppertia attenuata (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
19. Goeppertia bachemiana (É.Morren) Borchs. & S.Suárez
20. Goeppertia bantae (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
21. Goeppertia baraquinii (Lem.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
22. Goeppertia barbata (Petersen) Borchs. & S.Suárez
23. Goeppertia basiflora (H.Kenn.) J.M.A.Braga
24. Goeppertia bellula (Linden) Borchs. & S.Suárez
25. Goeppertia brasiliensis (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
26. Goeppertia brevipes (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
27. Goeppertia brunnescens (K.Koch) Borchs. & S.Suárez
28. Goeppertia buchtienii (Pax) Borchs. & S.Suárez
29. Goeppertia burle-marxii (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
30. Goeppertia cannoides (Nicolson, Steyerm. & Sivad.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
31. Goeppertia capitata (Ruiz & Pav.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
32. Goeppertia caquetensis (S.Suárez & Galeano) Borchs. & S.Suárez
33. Goeppertia carolineae (H.Kenn.) J.M.A.Braga
34. Goeppertia cataractarum (K.Schum.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
35. Goeppertia chimboracensis (Linden) Borchs. & S.Suárez
36. Goeppertia chrysoleuca (Poepp. & Endl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
37. Goeppertia cinerea (Regel) Borchs. & S.Suárez
38. Goeppertia cleistantha (Standl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
39. Goeppertia clivorum (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
40. Goeppertia coccinea (Standl. & Steyerm.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
41. Goeppertia colombiana (L.B.Sm. & Idrobo) Borchs. & S.Suárez
42. Goeppertia colorata (Hook.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
43. Goeppertia communis (Wand. & S.Vieira) Borchs. & S.Suárez
44. Goeppertia comosa (L.f.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
45. Goeppertia compacta (S.Suárez & Galeano) Borchs. & S.Suárez
46. Goeppertia concinna (W.Bull) Borchs. & S.Suárez
47. Goeppertia concolor (Eichler ex Petersen) Borchs. & S.Suárez
48. Goeppertia contrafenestra (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
49. Goeppertia coriacea (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
50. Goeppertia crocata (É.Morren & Joriss.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
51. Goeppertia cuneata (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
52. Goeppertia curaraya (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
53. Goeppertia cyclophora (Baker) Borchs. & S.Suárez
54. Goeppertia cylindrica (Roscoe) Borchs. & S.Suárez
55. Goeppertia densa (K.Koch & Linden) Borchs. & S.Suárez
56. Goeppertia dicephala (Poepp. & Endl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
57. Goeppertia dilabens (L.Andersson & H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
58. Goeppertia dodsonii (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
59. Goeppertia donnell-smithii (K.Schum.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
60. Goeppertia dorothyae (J.M.A.Braga & H.Kenn.) J.M.A.Braga
61. Goeppertia dressleri (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
62. Goeppertia dryadica (J.M.A.Braga) Borchs. & S.Suárez
63. Goeppertia eburnea (Linden & André) Borchs. & S.Suárez
64. Goeppertia ecuadoriana (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
65. Goeppertia effusa Saka & Lombardi
66. Goeppertia eichleri (Petersen) Borchs. & S.Suárez
67. Goeppertia elegans (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
68. Goeppertia elliptica (Roscoe) Borchs. & S.Suárez
69. Goeppertia enclitica (J.F.Macbr.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
70. Goeppertia erecta (L.Andersson & H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
71. Goeppertia eximia (K.Koch & C.D.Bouché) Borchs. & S.Suárez
72. Goeppertia exscapa (Poepp. & Endl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
73. Goeppertia fasciata (Linden ex K.Koch) Borchs. & S.Suárez
74. Goeppertia fatimae (H.Kenn. & J.M.A.Braga) Borchs. & S.Suárez
75. Goeppertia flavescens (Lindl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
76. Goeppertia foliosa (Rowlee ex Woodson & Schery) Borchs. & S.Suárez
77. Goeppertia fragilis (Gleason) Borchs. & S.Suárez
78. Goeppertia fucata (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
79. Goeppertia gandersii (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
80. Goeppertia gardneri (Baker) Borchs. & S.Suárez
81. Goeppertia gloriana (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
82. Goeppertia gordonii (H.Kenn.) F.Silva & J.M.A.Braga
83. Goeppertia grandis (Petersen) Borchs. & S.Suárez
84. Goeppertia granvillei (L.Andersson & H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
85. Goeppertia grazielae (H.Kenn. & J.M.A.Braga) Borchs. & S.Suárez
86. Goeppertia guianensis (Klotzsch ex Benth. & Hook.f.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
87. Goeppertia gymnocarpa (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
88. Goeppertia hammelii (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
89. Goeppertia hieroglyphica (Linden & André) Borchs. & S.Suárez
90. Goeppertia humilis (S.Moore) Borchs. & S.Suárez
91. Goeppertia hylaeanthoides (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
92. Goeppertia incompta (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
93. Goeppertia indecora (Woodson) Borchs. & S.Suárez
94. Goeppertia inocephala (Kuntze) Borchs. & S.Suárez
95. Goeppertia insignis (W.Bull ex W.E.Marshall) J.M.A.Braga, L.J.T.Cardoso & R.Couto
96. Goeppertia jagoriana (Regel) Borchs. & S.Suárez
97. Goeppertia jocosa (J.F.Macbr.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
98. Goeppertia joffilyana (J.M.A.Braga) Borchs. & S.Suárez
99. Goeppertia kappleriana (Körn. ex Horan.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
100. Goeppertia kegeljanii (É.Morren) Saka
101. Goeppertia killipii (L.B.Sm. & Idrobo) Borchs. & S.Suárez
102. Goeppertia koernickeana (Regel) J.M.A.Braga
103. Goeppertia kummeriana (É.Morren) Borchs. & S.Suárez
104. Goeppertia laetevirens (Huber) Borchs. & S.Suárez
105. Goeppertia lagoagriana (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
106. Goeppertia lanata (Petersen) Borchs. & S.Suárez
107. Goeppertia lasiophylla (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
108. Goeppertia lasseriana (Steyerm.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
109. Goeppertia latifolia (Willd. ex Link) Borchs. & S.Suárez
110. Goeppertia legrelleana (Linden) Borchs. & S.Suárez
111. Goeppertia leonae (Sander) Borchs. & S.Suárez
112. Goeppertia leonoriae (Lascur., H.Oliva & Avendaño) Borchs. & S.Suárez
113. Goeppertia leucostachys (Hook.f.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
114. Goeppertia libbyana (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
115. Goeppertia liesneri (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
116. Goeppertia lietzei (É.Morren) Saka
117. Goeppertia lindbergii (Petersen) Borchs. & S.Suárez
118. Goeppertia lindeniana (Wallis) Borchs. & S.Suárez
119. Goeppertia lindmanii (K.Schum.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
120. Goeppertia littoralis (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
121. Goeppertia loeseneri (J.F.Macbr.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
122. Goeppertia longibracteata (Lindl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
123. Goeppertia longiflora (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
124. Goeppertia longipetiolata (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
125. Goeppertia louisae (Gagnep.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
126. Goeppertia luciani (Linden) Borchs. & S.Suárez
127. Goeppertia maasiorum (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
128. Goeppertia macilenta (Lindl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
129. Goeppertia macrosepala (K.Schum.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
130. Goeppertia majestica (Linden) Borchs. & S.Suárez
131. Goeppertia makoyana (É.Morren) Borchs. & S.Suárez
132. Goeppertia mandioccae (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
133. Goeppertia mansoi (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
134. Goeppertia marantifolia (Standl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
135. Goeppertia martinicensis (Urb.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
136. Goeppertia matudae (H.Kenn. & Ganders) Borchs. & S.Suárez
137. Goeppertia mediopicta (Jacob-Makoy ex É.Morren) Borchs. & S.Suárez
138. Goeppertia mendesiana Saka & Popovkin
139. Goeppertia metallica (Planch. & Linden) Borchs. & S.Suárez
140. Goeppertia micans (L.Mathieu) Borchs. & S.Suárez
141. Goeppertia microcephala (Poepp. & Endl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
142. Goeppertia mirabilis (Jacob-Makoy ex É.Morren) Borchs. & S.Suárez
143. Goeppertia misantlensis (Lascur.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
144. Goeppertia mishuyacu (J.F.Macbr.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
145. Goeppertia modesta (Brongn. ex Gris) Borchs. & S.Suárez
146. Goeppertia monophylla (Vell.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
147. Goeppertia multicincta (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
148. Goeppertia neblinensis (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
149. Goeppertia neoviedii (Petersen) Borchs. & S.Suárez
150. Goeppertia nidulans (L.B.Sm. & Idrobo) Borchs. & S.Suárez
151. Goeppertia nigricans (Gagnep.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
152. Goeppertia nigrocostata (Linden & André) Borchs. & S.Suárez
153. Goeppertia nitidifolia (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
154. Goeppertia nobilis (K.Koch) Borchs. & S.Suárez
155. Goeppertia oblonga (Mart.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
156. Goeppertia orbifolia (Linden) Borchs. & S.Suárez
157. Goeppertia ornata (Lem.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
158. Goeppertia ovandensis (Matuda) Borchs. & S.Suárez
159. Goeppertia ovata (Nees & Mart.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
160. Goeppertia pachystachya (Poepp. & Endl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
161. Goeppertia pacifica (Linden & André) Borchs. & S.Suárez
162. Goeppertia pallidicosta (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
163. Goeppertia panamensis (Rowlee) Borchs. & S.Suárez
164. Goeppertia paucifolia (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
165. Goeppertia pavonii (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
166. Goeppertia pavonina (K.Koch & Linden) Borchs. & S.Suárez
167. Goeppertia pearcei (Rusby) Borchs. & S.Suárez
168. Goeppertia peregrina (H.Kenn.) J.M.A.Braga
169. Goeppertia peruviana (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
170. Goeppertia petersenii (Eggers) Borchs. & S.Suárez
171. Goeppertia picturata (K.Koch & Linden) Borchs. & S.Suárez
172. Goeppertia pittieri (K.Schum.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
173. Goeppertia plicata (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
174. Goeppertia poeppigiana (Loes. ex H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
175. Goeppertia polytricha (Baker) Saka
176. Goeppertia porphyrocaulis (W.Bull) Borchs. & S.Suárez
177. Goeppertia portobelensis (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
178. Goeppertia praecox (S.Moore) Borchs. & S.Suárez
179. Goeppertia prolifera (Vell.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
180. Goeppertia propinqua (Poepp. & Endl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
181. Goeppertia pruinata (W.Bull) Borchs. & S.Suárez
182. Goeppertia pseudoveitchiana (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
183. Goeppertia pulchella Borchs. & S.Suárez
184. Goeppertia pumila (Vell.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
185. Goeppertia regalis (Rollison ex Lem.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
186. Goeppertia reginae (J.M.A.Braga) Borchs. & S.Suárez
187. Goeppertia rhizanthoides (H.Kenn.) J.M.A.Braga
188. Goeppertia robin-fosteri (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
189. Goeppertia robiniae (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
190. Goeppertia rodeckiana (K.Schum.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
191. Goeppertia roseobracteata (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
192. Goeppertia roseopicta (Linden ex Lem.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
193. Goeppertia rossii (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
194. Goeppertia rufibarba (Fenzl) Borchs. & S.Suárez
195. Goeppertia sanderiana (Sander) Borchs. & S.Suárez
196. Goeppertia saxicola (Hoehne) Borchs. & S.Suárez
197. Goeppertia schunkei (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
198. Goeppertia sciuroides (Petersen) Borchs. & S.Suárez
199. Goeppertia selbyana (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
200. Goeppertia sellowii (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
201. Goeppertia silvicola (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
202. Goeppertia silvosa (J.F.Macbr.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
203. Goeppertia singularis (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
204. Goeppertia soconuscum (Matuda) Borchs. & S.Suárez
205. Goeppertia sophiae (Huber) Borchs. & S.Suárez
206. Goeppertia sousandradeana (H.Kenn. & Ganders) Borchs. & S.Suárez
207. Goeppertia sphaerocephala (K.Schum.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
208. Goeppertia splendida (Lem.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
209. Goeppertia squarrosa (L.Andersson & H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
210. Goeppertia standleyi (J.F.Macbr.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
211. Goeppertia steyermarkii (H.Kenn. & Nagata) Borchs. & S.Suárez
212. Goeppertia straminea (Petersen) Borchs. & S.Suárez
213. Goeppertia stromanthifolia (Rusby) Borchs. & S.Suárez
214. Goeppertia subtilis (S.Moore) Borchs. & S.Suárez
215. Goeppertia tinalandia (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
216. Goeppertia trichoneura (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
217. Goeppertia truncata (Link ex A.Dietr.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
218. Goeppertia tuberosa (Vell.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
219. Goeppertia ucayalina (Huber) Borchs. & S.Suárez
220. Goeppertia ulotricha (J.F.Macbr.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
221. Goeppertia umbrosa (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
222. Goeppertia undulata (Linden & André) Borchs. & S.Suárez
223. Goeppertia ursina (Standl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
224. Goeppertia vaginata (Petersen) Borchs. & S.Suárez
225. Goeppertia varians (K.Koch & L.Mathieu) Borchs. & S.Suárez
226. Goeppertia variegata (K.Koch) Borchs. & S.Suárez
227. Goeppertia veitchiana (Veitch ex Hook.f.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
228. Goeppertia velutina (Poepp. & Endl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
229. Goeppertia venusta (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
230. Goeppertia verapax (Donn.Sm.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
231. Goeppertia verecunda (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
232. Goeppertia villosa (Lindl.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
233. Goeppertia vinosa (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
234. Goeppertia violacea (Lindl.) J.M.A.Braga & F.Silva
235. Goeppertia virginalis (Linden ex Regel) Borchs. & S.Suárez
236. Goeppertia wallisii (Linden) Borchs. & S.Suárez
237. Goeppertia warszewiczii (Lem.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
238. Goeppertia whitei (Rusby) Borchs. & S.Suárez
239. Goeppertia widgrenii (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
240. Goeppertia williamsii (J.F.Macbr.) Borchs. & S.Suárez
241. Goeppertia wiotii (É.Morren) Borchs. & S.Suárez
242. Goeppertia yoshida-arnsiae N.Luna & Saka
243. Goeppertia zebrina (Sims) Nees
244. Goeppertia zingiberina (Körn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez

More Than Just a Pretty Face

But Goeppertia offers more than just aesthetic appeal. These plants are also believed to have air-purifying qualities, helping to create a healthier indoor environment. Plus, they’re non-toxic to both humans and pets, making them a safe and beautiful addition to any home.

Caring for Your Goeppertia

While Goeppertia can be a bit more demanding than some houseplants, the rewards are well worth the effort. They thrive in humid environments with bright, indirect light and well-draining soil. Regular watering and occasional misting will help keep them happy and healthy.

I’ve found that paying close attention to their needs is key. If the leaves start to curl or brown, it’s a sign that something is amiss. Perhaps they need more humidity, less direct sunlight, or a different watering schedule. Each plant is unique, and learning to understand their individual needs is part of the joy of growing Goeppertia.

In the end, my fascination with Goeppertia goes beyond their striking beauty and captivating movements. It’s about the connection I feel with these living works of art, the joy of nurturing them, and the sense of tranquility they bring to my surroundings. Each new leaf that unfurls is a small miracle, a reminder of the resilience and beauty of the natural world.