GENUS 2. ACANTHUS FAMILY. 241 
About 200 species, mainly of tropical America, a few in Africa, Asia and Australia. Besides 
the following, some 6 others occur in the southern and southwestern United States. Type species: 
Ruellia tuberosa L. 
Flowers sessile or nearly so. 
Calyx-segments linear-lanceolate, scarcely exceeding the capsule. 1. R. strepens. 
Calyx-segments filiform-linear, exceeding the capsule. 
Leaves sessile or very short-petioled. 2. R. ciliosa. 
Leaves slender-petioled. : 3. R. parviflora. 
Flowers peduncled ; peduncle with two large bracts at the summit. 4. R. pedunculata. 
1. Ruellia strépens L. Smooth or Short-tube Ruellia. - Fig. 3889. 
Ruellia strepens L. Sp. Pl. 634. 1753. 
Dipteracanthus micranthus Engelm. & Gray, Bost. 
, Journ. Nat. Hist. 5: 257. 1845. 
Ruellia strepens var. cleistantha A. Gray, Syn. Fl. 
2: Part 1, 327. 1878. 
Glabrate or somewhat pubescent; stem erect, 
slender, simple, or branched, 4-sided, 1°-4° 
high, the branches ascending. Leaves oblong, 
oval, or ovate, petioled, acute or subacute at 
the apex, narrowed at the base, 3’-6’ long; peti- 
oles 2-10” long; flowers solitary or several 
together in the axils,some often cleistogamous; 
calyx-segments linear-lanceolate, shorter than 
the corolla-tube, slightly pubescent or ciliate, 
8”’-12” long, 3-1” wide; corolla blue, 13’-2’ 
long, the limb nearly as broad, the tube about 
as long as the throat and limb; capsule club- 
shaped, longer than or equalling the calyx. 
In dry woods, Pennsylvania to Wisconsin, Kan- 
sas, Florida and Texas. May-July. 
2. Ruellia cilissa Pursh. Hairy or Long- 
tube Ruellia. Fig. 3890. 
Ruellia ciliosa Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. 420. 1814. 
Hirsute or pubescent, at least above; stem 
ascending, rather stout, 1°-23° high. Leaves 
hairy, ciliate, oblong, oval, or ovate, sessile or 
nearly so, obtuse or subacute at the apex, nar- 
rowed at the base, 14’-3’ long; flowers clus- 
tered or solitary in the axils, sometimes cleis- 
togamous; calyx-segments filiform, hirsute, 
10-12” long, about 2?” wide; corolla blue, 
13’-2’ long, the tube equalling or longer than 
the obconic throat and nearly regular limb 
and about twice as long as the calyx; capsule 
shorter than the calyx. 
In dry soil, southern New Jersey and Pennsyl- 
vania to Florida, west to Michigan, Kansas and 
Louisiana. June—-Sept. 
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