'acrosticheae' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'akrostichos,' where 'akro-' meant 'top' and 'stichos' meant 'row or line.'

'akrostichos' transformed into the Latin word 'acrostichum,' and eventually became the modern English word 'acrosticheae' through botanical Latin.

Initially, it referred to the arrangement of spores in a line, and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.