RUELLIA CILIOSA. LONCl-TUBED RUELLIA. 9 I 



It is evident, from what we have just said, that it is rather 

 difficult to define the order to which our plant belongs. This is 

 true also of the genera, and botanists therefore differ somewhat 

 in regard to the genus of some of the species. According to 

 Nees von Esenbeck, the great authority on Acanthacca, the 

 Riicllias ought to be classed with Diptcracanthus, a genus cre- 

 ated by the botanist just named. Prof. Wood and Dr. Chapman 

 still adopt this arrangement; but Dr. Gray, although formerly 

 an adherent of Nees von Esenbeck's views in this matter, classes 

 our plants as Ruellias, and in this we have followed him. 



The genus was named Rucllia in honor of one Ruelle, who is 

 said to have been an old French herbalist. The specific name 

 of our species, ciliosa, which was given to it by Pursh, the dis- 

 coverer of the plant, is from ciliiim, an eyelash, in allusion to the 

 hairy character of the stem and leaves. The Ruellia ciliosa has 

 no common name that we are aware of, and the most natural 

 proceeding would therefore seem to be to use a translation of 

 the botanical appellation as an English name. But we have 

 preferred to call our flower the " Long-tubed Ruellia," as the 

 extremely long tube of the corolla is more characteristic than 

 the hairiness of the stem and leaves. There is, besides, an Asi- 

 atic species, Ruellia ciliata, the name of which, translated into 

 Enelish, would be identical with that of our own plant. 



Very little is known of the properties and uses of the Ruellia 

 ciliosa, but it is quite possible that it may yet be found of some 

 value to man. The roots of an allied species, found in Texas, 

 are used by the Indians in fevers; and an East Indian species 

 yields a dye. One of the most celebrated blue dyes of China, 

 known as Tien-Ching, is also the product of a Ruellia, which, 

 according to Mr. Fortune, the traveller, is grown in immense 

 quantities by the Chinese. The plants are cut before the flow- 

 ers appear, and are thrown into tubs containing water, in which 

 they are allowed to rot for three or four days ; after the plants 

 have been taken out with rakes, lime is added to the water, and 

 the sediment which forms in the course of three or four days is 



