question: What continent is the home of both Alternanthera and Platycodon species?
answer: Asia
context: Title: Alternanthera reineckii
  Passage: Alternanthera reineckii is a species of aquatic plant in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae.  Several cultivars are used as ornamental plants in aquaria.
  Title: Alternanthera pungens
  Passage: Alternanthera pungens Kunth is a creeping, prostrate perennial pioneer plant of the Amaranthaceae family, spreading by seed and vegetatively, with roots often developing at the nodes of spreading stems.  A plant of roadsides, path verges and waste places (ruderal), it is thought to have come from Central and South America, and to have become widely established in Australia and Southern Africa.  Other species of this genus, e.g. "Alternanthera sessilis" (L.) R.Br.  ex DC., have long been recorded from Tropical Africa, and would be difficult to prove as invaders.
  Title: Alternanthera nesiotes
  Passage: Alternanthera nesiotes is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae.  It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands, where it is limited to Floreana Island.  There are five subpopulations which are susceptible to habitat degradation due to invasive species of plants and animals.
  Title: Charles Maries
  Passage: Charles Maries (18 December 1851 – 11 October 1902) was an English botanist and plant collector who was sent by James Veitch & Sons of Chelsea, London to search for new hardy plants in Japan, China and Taiwan between 1877 and 1879; there he discovered over 500 new species, which Veitch introduced to England.  Amongst his finds, several bear his name, including "Abies mariesii", "Davallia mariesii", "Hydrangea macrophylla" "Mariesii", "Platycodon grandiflorus" "Mariesii" and "Viburnum plicatum" "Mariesii".
  Title: Alternanthera philoxeroides
  Passage: Alternanthera philoxeroides, commonly referred to as alligator weed, is a native species to the temperate regions of South America, which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.  Argentina alone, hosts around 27 species that fall within the range of the genus Alternanthera.  Its geographic range once used to cover only the Parana River region of South America, but it has since expanded to cover over 30 countries, such as the United States, New Zealand, China and many more.  This invasive species is believed to have been accidentally introduced to these non-native regions through sediments trapped/attached to tanks and cargo of ships travelling from South America to these various areas.
  Title: Alternanthera echinocephala
  Passage: Alternanthera echinocephala, known as spiny-headed chaff flower, is a shrubby plant in the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae) native to the Galápagos Islands, mainland Ecuador, and Peru.  Its relatively large spiny "heads" of flowers distinguish it from other species of "Alternanthera" found in the Galápagos.
  Title: Alternanthera littoralis
  Passage: Alternanthera littoralis is an African species in the botanical family Amaranthaceae.  The leaves are eaten as a vegetable.
  Title: Platycodon
  Passage: Platycodon grandiflorus (from Ancient Greek πλατύς "wide" and κώδων "bell") is a species of herbaceous flowering perennial plant of the family Campanulaceae, and the only member of the genus Platycodon.  It is native to East Asia (China, Korea, Japan, and the Russian Far East).  It is commonly known as balloon flower (referring to the balloon-shaped flower buds), Chinese bellflower, or platycodon.
  Title: Alternanthera
  Passage: Alternanthera is a genus of flowering plants in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae.  It is a widespread genus with most species occurring in the tropical Americas, and others in Asia, Africa, and Australia.  Plants of the genus may be known generally as joyweeds, or Joseph's coat.  Several species are notorious noxious weeds.
  Title: Alternanthera grandis
  Passage: Alternanthera grandis is a species of plant in the Amaranthaceae family.  It is endemic to Ecuador.  Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.  It is threatened by habitat loss.  This plant is known for its connection to the Memphis Grizzlies.  The players on this team all have an insignia of Alternanthera grandis on their shorts during every away game.  The species name, Grandis, refers to the Spanish word for large.  This plant can be found throughout northern Ecuador and, most notably, in the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Merced.  The plant is found near the Ark of the Holy Emblem.
citations: Platycodon Alternanthera