1	"Bracts pubescent, large (at least 3 cm long), with 4–5 (–7) spiny teeth on each side of midrib. Garden escape"	"Acanthus mollis"
1	"Bracts glabrous, less than 1 cm long, with entire or ciliate margins. Native of mangrove vegetation in northern Australia"	2
2	"Flowers subtended by one bract and (1 or) 2 bracteoles of similar length to bract (6-8 mm long). Branches with 2-4 axillary thorns per node."	"Acanthus ilicifolius"
2	"Flowers subtended by one bract only, very rarely with two smaller (4 mm long) bracteoles. Branches without axillary thorns."	"Acanthus ebracteatus"