546 Lxxxviii. ACANTiiACE^, [EuelUu, 



Sect, T. Dipteracanthus.— Bracteoles usually lonra- and broader than 



Muell 



the calyx. Capsule contracted or flattened and seedless at the base. 



1. R. bracte'ata, E. Br. Prod. 479. Stems usually simple, 6 in. to 

 1 ft. hi<,^h, more or less hirsute as well as the foliage. Leaves shortly petio- 

 late, oblong or elliptical, the larger ones above 2 in. long, the lowest small 

 and obovate. Flowers blue, on axillary pedicels varying from I in. to above 

 1 in. in length. Bracteoles herbaceous, oval-oblong, ^ to f in. long, enclos- 

 ing the base of the flower. Calyx-segments narrow, 2 to 3 lines long. Co- 

 rolla with a very slender straight tube of about 1 in., the campanulate broad 

 part or throat nearly half that length, the lobes broad and rounded, the mar- 

 gins slightly crisped- Stamens inserted near the top of the slender tube and 

 reaching to the top of the throat. Capsule nearly f in. long, contracted into 

 a broad flattened seedless base. Seeds in the upper part, 7 or 8 in each cell. 

 — Endl. Iconogr. 1. 104 (the corolla-lobes more crisped than in any of the spe- 

 cimens seen); DipteracantJitis bracteatns, Nees in DC. Prod. xi,143- 



N, Australia. Arnhem X. and S. Eav, R, Brown, 

 Queensland, Cape Tork, WGllllvray. 



^ The E. Indian Ruellia suffruticosa^ Rosb., is evidently closely allied to if not ideutlra 

 with R. bradeata. 



^ , ^. „„_.. Herb. A perennial, apparently with tlie 



habit of R. corynotheca^ but larger and more villous. Leaves ovate, nearly 

 sessile, I to 1 in. long. Flowers large, blue, nearly sessile in the upper 

 axils. Bracteoles herbaceous, oval or oblong, much "longer than the calyx. 

 Calyx-segments narrow, 2 to 3 lines long. Corolla with an exceedingly 

 sliort narrow base, the remainder of the tube much dilated, above 1 in. lon" 

 forining a long broad rather oblique throat ; lobes broad, scarcely half as 

 long as the tube. Capsule oblong-clavate, about \ in. long, contracted and 

 seedless at the base. Seeds about 6 in each cell. 



Queensland. Burdekia river, F. Mueller; Selhcim and Elliot rivers. Bowman; 

 Earcoo river, M'Douall Stuart (the latter specimea doubtful, more vOlous, with narrower 

 more petiolatc leaves). 



3. R. corynotheca, F. Muell Herb, A perennial, usually shortly 

 scabrous-pubescent, with rather slender decumbent or erect stems of 6 m. to 

 nearly 1 ft. Leaves petiolate, mostly ovate and small, often under i- !"• ""'^ 

 rarely 1 in. long. Flowers nearly sessile in the upper axils. Bracteoles 

 olMong-lmear or oblong, contracted at the base, longer than the calyx. 

 Calyx U to 2 lines long, the segments united at the base. Corolla-tube J 

 to 4 Unes long, gradually dilated upwards, the lobes fuUv half as long as tlie 

 tube Capsule clavate, about \ in. loug, the lower portion contracted anu 

 seedless 2 hues broad above the middler. Seeds about 4 in each cell, rather 

 large, all attached very near the middle of the capsule. 



r..3^^V^f^^^^^ p^"^;^;" i:'^^'-. P- ^ueUer ; Suttor river. Bowman, T^orsay. ^f 

 nea, the !-• Indmn R. patula, Jacq., but the corolla-tube apneas to be shorter and not so 

 slender, and there may be a few other trifling differences. 



J_L 



Sect. IL Cryphiacaxthus.— Bracttoles linear-subulate, shorter than 

 the calyx or none. Capsule equally 2 -celled from the base or nearly so. 



g. 



