104. ACANTHACE^. [9. Kuellia.. 



9. RUELLIA, L. 



Herbs or undershrubs with opposite, rarely 3-nate, entire or 

 undulate, lineolate leaves and usually large, solitary, clustered (or 

 cymose in some exotics) flowers subtended (Sect. Dipteracanthns) by 

 two large foliaceous bracteoles (or bracteoles narrow in some exotic 

 species), bracts (in indigenous species). Calyx o-fid or -partite with 

 narrow segments. Corolla tubular-ventricose with the narroAv portion 

 ot tube short or very long, lobes sub-equal rounded. Stamens didy- 

 namous, anthers subequal short with 2 oblong muticous glabrous 

 cells. Ovary glabrous, style long, hairy; stigma simple, the posterior 

 lobe being suppressed or nearly so in indigenous species. Ovules 

 3-10 in each cell. Capsule clavate with solid base (Sect. Diptera- 

 canthus), or linear and seed-bearing nearly the whole length. Seeds 

 large, thinly discoid, marginate, densely hygroscopically hairy, on 

 strong hooked retinacula. 



The Indian species all belong to Sect, Dipteracanfhus ; some exotic species are,. 

 however, found in gardens. 

 I. Sect. Bipteracatiflim. Bracteoles large foliaceous. Capsule 



clavate with solid base :— , ^ ^ 



A. Creeping or rambling. Fls. -9-1" \. prostrafa. 



B. Erect, or sometimes stemless : — 



1. Corolla 1-1-5", white with pink or purple marks . . 2. cernua. 



2. Corolla over 1-5", colour uniform :— 



L. ell. or oblong rounded, petiole short. Fls. white . . 3. mffruficosa.. 

 L. ell. or lanceolate long acuminate, petiole slender . . 4, Beddomei. 

 II. Sect. EurueUia (Cn/phiacanthus, Nees). Bracteoles narrow, 

 capsule linear, seed-bearing throughout :— 

 Root tuberous. Fls. cymose, large, blue. Exotic . . 5. tuherom. 



1. R. prostrata, Poir. 



Creeping and rooting at the nodes, scarsely suffruticose, or 

 rambling (see var.) with ovate leaves mostly -S-l-S" long and axillary 

 solitary pretty pxu^ple or white flowers 'o-'TS" diam. and about -9-1" 

 long. Capsule -8" hairy pubescent or puberulous, empty basal 

 portion about S". Seeds over 12, -12" diam. 



In moist shady places, banks, etc., throughout the area. Darbhanga ! Purneah r 

 Monghj-r, Cal.'Rerh.\ Chota Nagpur, all districts! Orissa ! Kalahandi ! Fl., 

 Fr. chiefly r.s. and c.s. , -r ,.. 



Stems pubescent or nearly glabrous except at the nodes. L. obtuse or acute 

 more or less hispid or hairy, especially on the 5-7 sec. n. beneath. Petiole short or 

 lower '5" Flowers caducous sessile or subsessile with bracteoles very short- 

 petioled like leaves •3--4" long. Sepals mostly '25" in flower, sometimes -4 m 

 fruit, subulate-setaceous, hairy. Corolla caducous, falling before mid-day, narrowly 

 tubular for '25", then ventricose. Ovary downy. 



Yar. dejecta, Clarice. 



Eambling and clambering among bushes. Branches with very long 

 internodes, sparsely pilose or upper side tomentose. L. 1-2", ovate or 

 elliptic, acvite, base roimded or narrowed into the •2--5" petiole, hairy. 



Very common in the open scrub jungles of Puri ! Fl. April-May (as well probably 

 at other times) . 



2. R. cernua, Roxh. 



Roxburgh's description is as follows : Shrubby, erect, polished. 

 Leaves drooping, petioled, ovate-lanceolate, acvtminate. Flowers 

 axillary, subsessile. Bracts petioled. Capsule clavate, many-seeded. 



673 



