1084 ACANTHACEAE 



Leaves of the main stem mostly less than 6 cm. long : eastern 



species. 7. E. hybrida. 



Leaves of the main stem mostly over 6 cm. long : Texan species. 8. R. Drummondiana. 

 B. Calyx-lobes linear-lanceolate or broadly linear, scarcely longer than the 



capsule. 9. R. strepent. 



1. Ruellia tuberosa L. Foliage finely hirsute or canescent. Stems erect, from some- 

 what tuberous-thickened roots, 2-6 dm. tall, branching: leaf-blades thickish, oblong to 

 ovate, 3-8 cm. long, undulate-crisped, gradually or abruptly narrowed into margined 

 petioles which are shorter than the blades : cymes on erect or ascending peduncles : bracts 

 small and narrow : calyx bristly ; lobes narrowly linear, 10-12 mm. long or sometimes 2 

 cm. long : corolla blue or rarely white, 4-6 cm. long ; tube about 3 mm. in diameter, 

 rather abruptly dilated into the shorter throat ; limb 3-4 cm. long : capsules 1.5-1.7 mm. 

 long, puberulent. 



In valleys, Texas. Also in tropical America. 



2. Ruellia pedunculata Torr. Foilage mainly puberulent. Stems erect, 3-6 dm. 

 tall, with wide-spreading branches : leaf-blades oblong-elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, 2-10 

 cm. long, acute or acutish, undulate ; petioles 4-10 mm. long : peduncles spreading, bear- 

 ing 2 leaf-like bracts near the end : calyx puberulent ; lobes subulate-filiform, 1-1.5 cm. 

 long : corolla blue or pale ; tube about 2 mm. thick, as long as the funnelform throat or 

 longer; limb 3-4 cm. broad : capsules 1.5-2 cm. long. 



Tn dry woods, Missouri to Louisiana and Texas. Spring to fall. 



3. Ruellia noctiflora (Nees) A. Gray. Foliage minutely pubescent. Stems erect, 

 1-3 dm. tall or diffusely branched : leaf-blades oblong, sometimes narrowly so or oblong- 

 lanceolate, rather obtuse, undulate, sessile : calyx softly pubesent ; lobes linear-filiform, 

 2.5-3.5 cm. long : corolla white or bluish ; tube about 2 mm. thick, 5-6 cm. long, several 

 times longer than the comparatively short funnelform throat ; limb 4-5 cm. broad : cap- 

 sules spindle-shaped, 2.5 cm. long, puberulent. 



In low sandy pine lands, Georgia and Florida to Mississippi. Spring and summer. 



4. Ruellia humilis Nutt. Foliage finely hirsute or villous-hirsute. Stems very 

 short, 1-3 cm. long, or almost wanting, simple or sparingly branched : leaves few ; blades 

 spatulate to oblong or oval, 3-10 cm. long, mostly obtuse, sessile or short-petioled : pedicels 

 very short: calyx bristly ; lobes linear-subulate, 1.5-2 cm. long: corolla blue or nearly 

 white, 4 cm. long ; tube somewhat longer than the broadly dilated throat ; limb 3-4 cm. 

 broad : capsules nearly oblong, fully 1.5 cm. long. 



In sandy soil, Georgia and Florida to Mississippi. Spring to fall. 



5. Ruellia ciliosa Pursh. Foliage hirsute to the corolla, which also is sometimes 

 finely hirsute. Stems erect, 2-6 dm. tall, more or less branched : leaf-blades oval, ovate 

 or oblong, 2-5 cm. long, acute or obtusish, undulate, ciliate, sessile or essentially so : calyx 

 bristly ; lobes filiform-subulate, 1.5-2 cm. long : corolla blue, 5-7 cm. long ; tube about 

 as long as the throat ; limb 3-4 cm. broad ; lobes suborbicular, about as long as the throat : 

 capsules oblong, 1-1.5 cm. long, glabrous or nearly so. 



In dry soil, New Jersey to Michigan, Kansas, Florida and Texas. Spring to fall. 



6. Ruellia parviflora (Nees) Britton. Foliage sparingly pubescent, but green. 

 Stems erect, 2-6 dm. tall, simple or sometimes sparingly branched : leaf-blades oblong to 

 oblong-lanceolate, 3-10 cm. long, obtuse or acutish, undulate, rather acuminately narrowed 

 at the base, manifestly petioled : pedicels very short : calyx bristly ; lobes linear-filiform, 

 1.5-2 cm. long : corolla blue, 4-5 cm. long ; tube somewhat longer than the throat ; limb 

 2-3 cm. broad : capsules oblong above the stipe-like base, barely 1.5 cm. long. 



In sandy soil, Maryland to Indiana, Florida and Texas. Spring and summer. 



7. Ruellia hybrida Pursh. Foliage finely and closely grayish-pubescent. Stems 

 2-5 dm. tall, erect or diffuse, the branches at least, spreading : leaf-blades ovate to oblong, 

 2.5-5 cm. long, obtuse or acutish, undulate or sinuate, conspicuously pale-nerved beneath, 

 short-petioled : calyx minutely bristly or canescent-bristly ; lobes linear-filiform, 1-1.5 

 cm. long: corolla 2-4 cm. long ; limb 2-3 cm. wide : capsules less than 1.5 cm. long. 



In sandy or dry soil, Florida. Spring and summer. 



8. Ruellia Drummondiana ( Nees) A. Gray. Foliage finely grayish pubescent. Stems 

 erect, 5-9 dm. tall, simple or sparingly branched : leaf -blades ovate "to oblong-lanceolate, 

 5-18 cm. long, acute or short-acuminate, repand, narrowed into manifest petioles : calyx 

 canescent ; lobes bristle-like, 2-2.5 cm. long : corolla blue or pale, 2.5-3.5 cm. long ; tube 

 ornewhat longer than the throat ; limb 2.5-3 cm. broad : capsules over 1.5 cm. long. 



In dry soil, Texas. Spring to fall. 



9. Ruella strepens L. Foliage bright green, glabrous or finely pubescent. Stems 

 erect, 2-12 dm. tall, simple or branched : leaf-blades ovate to oblong, 5-15 cm. long, acute 



