Tab. 7372. 

 ruellia maceantha. 



Native of Brazil. 



Nat. Ord. Acantiiace,e. — Tribe Ruellie.«. 

 Genus Ruellia, Linn. ; (Benth. & Hook.f. Gen. Plant, vol. ii. p. 1077). 



Ruellia macrantha ; caule 4-6-pedali erecto ramoso, ramulis teretibns glabris 

 v. pubesceotibus, foliis 3-5-poll. longis breviter petiolatis ovato- v. 

 oblongo-lanceolatis utrinque angustatia acatis v. acuminatis integerrimis 

 v. repaado-dentatis supra sub-strigillosis subtus molliter hispidulis nervis 

 utrinque costas 7-12 subtus prominnlis, floribns axillaribas v. apices 

 versus ramorum confertis v. subspicatim dispositis amplis sessilibus v. 

 brevissime p?dicellatis, bracteis 1-1 1 poll, longis liaeari-oblongis obtusis, 

 sepalis suboequalibus bracteas subaaqaantibus liaeari-lanceolatis acumi- 

 natis glabris, corollas lseteroseo-purpureae tubo 3 poll, longo infra mediun 

 gracili curvo subtorto dein infundibulari-campanulato costato, limbi 3-1 

 poll, diam.lobia 5 snbaaqualibus patenti-recurvis ciliatis apice emarginatis 

 3-nerviis, nervulis transversis remotis, filamentis gractlibus subaequilongis 

 inclusis inferne per paria connatis, antheri^ lineari-obtongis, ovario pilo- 

 snlo, capsula 1-lj poll, longa tereti, valvis liguosis, semiaibus orbiculari- 

 bus complanatis angaste alatis. 



R. macrantba, Mart, ex Nees in Mart. Fl. Bras. vol. ix. p. 37. 



R. speciosa, Schott ex Nees in Mart. I.e. et in DC. Prodr. vol. xi. p. 113 (non 

 Mart). 



Dipteracanthus macranthus, Nees in Mart. I.e. ; in DC. I.e. 117. 



This magnificent plant appears to have a wide range in 

 Brazil, from the province of Minas to that of St. Paul, 

 growing amongst other shrubs in shady places. Of when 

 and how it was introduced into Europe I can find no 

 trace, nor does it appear in any of the continental garden 

 catalogues that I have referred to. It has been in 

 cultivation in the Royal Gardens, Kew, for many years, 

 where it flowers in midwinter, and is then a very striking 

 object. 



A vnriety of it described by Nees (DC. Prodr. vol. 

 xi. p. 118) as £ magnified (Ruellia magnifica, Mart, 

 herb.), differs in being smaller in all its parts, and 

 more glabrous. Nees describes its leaves as being more 

 densely strigose; but in all the specimens in the Kew 

 Herbarium they are almost glabrous. 



Descr. — A branching, soft- wooded shrub, four to six 

 feet high; branches rather stout, obtusely quadrangular; 



January 1st, 1903. 



