140 Notice of several species of Shells. 



the aperture, at the base, emarginate and even truncate. I have 

 seen but two specimens. 



(To be continued.) 



Observations, on the North American species of the Genus 

 Ruellia. By Captain John Le Conte, of the United 

 States' Army, F. L. S. &c. Read May 3d 1824. 



The genus Ruellia, of which so many species are enumer- 

 ated in the books, appears to be chiefly confined to tropical 

 regions. Our own country can, however, boast of a few. It 

 is my design at present to examine these ; to determine and to 

 distinguish the true species from varieties ; and to correct the 

 errors which a want of proper attention has introduced among 

 them. 



In doing this, the number of species will be diminished. In- 

 stead of reckoning five, the number allowed by our latest 

 writers, I shall admit but three species already known, and 

 propose one as new, whose characters are strikingly distinct 

 from any hitherto described. I have paid much attention to 

 these plants, and do not hesitate to speak with confidence about 

 them, as my observations were all made on living speci- 

 mens. 



I. jR. strepens : erect ; leaves ovate, lanceolate-ovate, or 

 cuneate (that is, oval attenuated at the base), shortly petioled, 

 entire or repand, undulate, more or less ciliate at the base, 

 sometimes smooth, but generally with a few scattering hairs 

 on either surface ; peduncles axillary, very short, for the most 

 part three-flowered ; divisions of the calyx linear, rather shorter 

 than the tube of the corolla, scarcely hairy ; corolla subequal, 

 lilac or white; stamina equal. %. Varies exceedingly : the 

 stem is sometimes hairy ; the shape of the leaves is very in- 



